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Editor's note: The following perspective was written by National Horseman's publisher, Allison Lambert, appearing in the December 2017 issue.

You Gotta Have Faith

By Allison Lambert

            Faith is a belief that is not based on proof; it is having complete trust and confidence in something that cannot be seen. As children, we have blind faith from the moment we enter the world. We believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that Santa Claus really exists without ever actually seeing him. We believe his giant sleigh is pulled by nine flying reindeer, even though there has never been a reindeer in history that could fly. And we believe (without question) that he somehow delivers presents to every child around the world in one night, even though that’s clearly an impossible feat. Our innocent young hearts don’t need facts or evidence in order to believe something exists because before adulthood clouds our mind with uncertainty, we’re born with a little thing called faith.

            Life has a way of jading our belief system because it’s hard to understand why terrible things happen in this world. We continuously search for answers, hoping to find some solace in knowing why bad things happen to good people, but when the answers never satisfy our questions, it’s inevitable that we start to lose our faith.

            When dealing with tough situations we’re taught to “hope for the best, but plan for the worst.” Faith is not just “hoping for the best.” It’s accepting that even when the “worst” occurs, it’s all part of God’s plan for our life. Faith is trusting God has a bigger purpose when things don’t turn out the way we expect them. It’s knowing that when the answer to our prayers is “no,” it’s not a rejection, but a redirection. Although we might not understand his purpose right away, time usually reveals the reason behind God’s redirection. Sometimes we can see the bigger picture right away, and other times we might not see it at all, but true peace comes from knowing God is always in control, and as long as you have faith in him, you will never question anything again.

            This holiday season, try to live vicariously through the children around you. Watch as they excitedly prepare for Santa Claus, and remember what it was like to once have faith in something you couldn’t see. Because although faith doesn’t make things explainable, it always makes them conceivable.