Belongingness!

 

A sense of belonging is a beautiful thing. We belong to parents, a spouse, a family, a clan, or a community. It gives solace, confidence, and comfort we can count on our loved ones. Yet there are others who are orphans and live alone. They have no one to call as family, probably clinging on to friends who become their priceless possession, establishing a bonding and belongingness with them. Maybe at a later stage in life after marriage they move that sense of connection to their spouse.

The relationships don’t need constant reminding when it comes to our parents or spouse. We agree with the connection and value the same. The same principle can be applied to religion too. People identify with gods depending on their belief system that followed through ages by their forefathers. When it is a matter of faith religion enforces us to perform rites and rituals, visiting holy places, to identify and belong to their religious belief system. The confusion increases when some intrude into other faith system and demand them to follow what they follow and believe what they think is true.

In logical sense, you don't do things to prove you belong to your parents or do the parents find the need to assure each day that you belong to them. Likewise, you belong to a true living God. You don't have to do things to draw the attention of God. It all works based on truth and facts followed by belongingness based on faith.

Today, people are carried away by doing things to display their religious identity. And that is why some people will do almost anything for their religion, they will argue, write, and even fight for it. They will do almost anything except live for it.  If you must do things to show your religion then, there is a serious problem in the belief system. As much as you don't have to do things to show you belong to your parents, in a similar way your good works don't matter to God. The faith leaders / gurus emphasize on 'works' for the religious institutions to exist and become a place of attraction.  But the Bible pointing to the process of salvation emphasizes on the faith on Christ Jesus. It says, "For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift- not from works, so that no one can boast.".  Through His sacrifice on the cross, His death and resurrection, we have salvation and forgiveness from all our sins. All that is needed is to accept the gift of salvation by faith and experience the abundant life. Anything that relates to a set of rules and duties people are ready to do, however do not forget this, your belongingness cannot be based on your works to prove who you are identified with. You just need to put your faith on the Saviour. Your life will be completely transformed, and your eternal destination will be different.

 

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