Intentional Faith: The Psychology of Belief and Living with Purpose
“I have had doubts, doubts of nearly everything.”
—Old Journal Entry
I’ve been a ‘religious’ person all my life, and it feels like a relief to admit my lack of faith. One day it’s strong; the next, it vanishes like smoke. I’m convinced that if I had enough of this elusive substance called faith, I would never suffer again.
“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Show us how to increase our faith.’”
—Luke 17:5 (NLT)
Faith operates on many layers—the intellectual, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. The terminology isn’t as important as the essence: having complete faith—not just in salvation from circumstances but from myself—means letting go of everything that weighs me down. If I truly believed, I could live as light as a feather.
“But no one has the right to let others suppose that faith is something inferior or that it is an easy matter, when in fact it is the greatest and most difficult of all.”
—Søren Kierkegaard
Faith is a slippery thing—hard to define, hard to maintain, not easy to develop, and much more than simply a religious belief in the supernatural. Within it is interwoven existential agony and the courage to rest on something that feels intrinsically good.
Psychological Faith
I strongly suspect that even people who claim to have no faith actually operate on a type of faith. This might seem abstract, but it aligns with how the mind works, and it’s important to understand faith at this level if we want it to support us better and make it intentional.
Let’s begin with a simple fact: there’s no way you can cognitively process everything you encounter in every waking moment—it’s impossible. The amount of raw data entering your brain through your senses is estimated to be over 11 million bits per second. Yet, your conscious mind can handle only about 50 bits per second. That’s a tiny fraction—99.99955% of sensory information is processed unconsciously or filtered out.
As Chris Bailey says in his book Hyperfocus, “The most creative and productive people defend their attentional space religiously”—because it’s so valuable.
If reality is something the brain constructs to make sense of an information bombardment, how can we ever see what is truly “real”? Our perception is more like an impressionistic painting than a photograph. Perhaps that’s why art remains significant even in an age of abundant photographs.
It turns out that faith is as elusive as reality itself.
Neuroscience and Faith: A Symbiotic Relationship
Neurological evidence indicates that our brains construct a version of reality that allows us to function. Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, in a conversation with Lex Fridman, mentioned research by William Newsome in 1989 showing that our brains don’t just passively perceive reality—they actively construct it. In experiments with monkeys, specific brain cells determined how motion was perceived, even when visual information was unclear. This suggests our brains fill in gaps, creating our experience of reality based on internal processing, not just external stimuli.
By simplifying reality, our brains enable us to act and react. But here’s the catch—this constructed reality isn’t “real” in the objective sense; it’s a survival mechanism.
Faith, then, is the mind’s way of filling in the gaps, creating stability amidst the chaos of unprocessed sensory data. It allows us to trust in the unseen—to believe the sun will rise tomorrow, that our actions matter, and that life holds meaning—even when objective evidence is insufficient.
The Psychological Role of Faith
If reality is constructed by our brains—a simplification to help us function in a complex world—faith becomes the glue that holds everything together. In the absence of complete information, we rely on belief systems, assumptions, and trust to bridge the gaps. Without faith, we’d be stuck in analysis paralysis, constantly questioning what we’re perceiving.
Faith isn’t just about religious belief; it’s about the conviction that the ground we walk on is solid, that tomorrow will come, that our loved ones are genuine, and that our decisions have meaning. Without this cognitive scaffolding, we’d be overwhelmed by uncertainty.
Jordan Peterson often says, “You see the world through a story.” We don’t see the raw reality; we abstract it based on what our mind deems relevant, derived from our goals and the story we’re living.
One thinker who influenced Peterson is William James, a psychology pioneer around the same time as Sigmund Freud. As the world’s first psychology teaching professor in 1875 at Harvard, James believed in pragmatic faith. He sought to bridge scientific skepticism and religious experience, seeing faith as a transformative force. He argued that viewing the world optimistically is “healthy-minded” and that beliefs can shape reality—a revolutionary idea. Personal narratives hold immense power. He suggested that beliefs are true if they are useful.
This might sound like modern self-help, but these ideas challenge us deeply. The world becomes a mirror, reflecting back at us. You don’t need to retreat from life; you can explore your faith in everyday experiences.
It’s daunting but liberating.
- If you don’t like the story you’re living, you might be able to change it.
- If you don’t like the narrative of your past, you can rewrite it.
I don’t mean fooling yourself—that’s counterproductive. Instead, openly explore your story, and you may find parts you can view in a more optimistic, appreciative way. It doesn’t make it less true.
This is something you might delve into with therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy. There, you might examine rigid negative beliefs and decide if you want to continue living that script.
Faith, then, is the ability to live life through the story you choose.
The Bible Defines Faith
Let’s consider the Bible’s definition:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
—Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Let’s examine key Greek words: faith, confidence, hope, assurance, and what.
- Faith (πίστις – pistis): Referred to a guarantee or warranty—an abstract entity producing something tangible given time and patience. It’s like the paperwork before a big purchase. Psychologically, it’s the inner construction of reality, enabling us to operate in this complex world.
- Hope (ἐλπίζω – elpizō): Means hope, expectation, trust. You need trust in something you can’t directly sense; otherwise, you feel insecure. This shifts faith from being solely intellectual to emotional. Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Trust is often imparted by caregivers, providing the security that allows us to become secure in ourselves. This trust isn’t perceived through the five senses but built within the psyche.
- Assurance (ὑπόστασις – hypostasis): More than assurance; it refers to the essential nature or underlying reality of a thing. It’s the substance or essence—deeper than physical perception. Like knowing water is made of hydrogen and oxygen—have you seen them? Psychologically, it’s the hidden paradigms that hold your soul together—the realm of intuition and beauty.
- Evidence (ἔλεγχος – elegchos): Means conviction, evidence, proof. Conviction psychologically involves creating your story: What do I value? What do I focus on? How do I interpret this?
- “What” or “Things” (πρᾶγμα – pragma): Refers to practical matters. These “things are not seen”—aspects beyond our five senses, like thoughts, feelings, metaphysical orientations, and God Himself.
Bringing It All Together
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
—Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
Faith extends beyond sensory learning. We’re surrounded by realities we can’t fully perceive. Faith is the confidence that allows us to recognize these hidden dimensions. It acts as an internal light, illuminating what lies beyond immediate awareness.
Faith is like paper money—it holds no physical value but immense psychological value.
It’s our inner system for deciding what to focus on—the quality of our inner story—including belief in the goodness of humanity and belief in God.
Faith and Doubt
So faith cannot be certainty. Certainty equals existence itself, and we only access a fraction of what’s real. Absolute certainty eludes us; what we think we’re certain about might one day crumble.
That’s why we need faith. But without certainty, we face doubt.
Is doubt antagonistic to faith? Not necessarily.
“Doubt is a question mark; faith is an exclamation point. The most compelling, believable, realistic stories have included them both.”
—Criss Jami
Faith and doubt are often seen as opposites but are deeply connected—two sides of the same coin.
- Faith as existential courage; doubt as existential curiosity. They’re partners, not enemies.
- Faith is bold; doubt is cautious.
- Faith walks; doubt considers.
- Faith transforms; doubt creates space for transformation.
Their interplay is like a dance, enriching each other. Faith without doubt can become rigid; doubt without faith can lead to cynicism.
“Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.”
—Khalil Gibran
The goal isn’t to eliminate doubt but to use it to refine what we believe and why. Both should be conscious and integrated.
Intentional Faith
Faith is a psychological given, whether we like it or not. It serves as the bridge between the objective and subjective, the external world and our internal experience.
The beauty is that you have some choice in how you see yourself, how you navigate through life, and how you engage with reality. Of course, this doesn’t mean ignoring evidence—who are we trying to fool?
Your faith is your responsibility. God doesn’t advise you to build faith because He wants control over you. He urges it because that’s what ultimately grants you freedom.
So, take this away: be intentional with your faith. It is the most important decision you will ever make.
Self-Reflection: Exploring Your Own Faith
Understanding your faith is the first step toward deeper insight:
- Is my faith (and doubt) conscious?
Do I recognize the beliefs shaping my perception, or am I on autopilot?
- Do I acknowledge how little I truly know?
True faith embraces the vast unknown.
- How concerned am I with what is truly real?
Faith is the courage to face reality, even if it challenges my beliefs.
Guidelines for Building an Intentional Faith
- Embrace uncertainty: Recognize not everything can be known, and that’s okay.
- Allow flexibility: Faith is personal and can evolve with new experiences.
- Be humble: Faith is subjective; we shouldn’t belittle others’ beliefs.
- Cultivate mindfulness: Observe reactions and judgments; let curiosity lead.
- Self-observe: Question assumptions and how they shape perceptions.
- Understand it’s a journey: Faith is ongoing.
- Embrace not knowing: Not having all the answers is liberating.
Conclusion: Stepping Out in Faith
Faith is much more than dogma.
It’s trusting, for whatever reason, that things will ultimately be okay. In biblical terms, it’s taking God’s hand, confident in the natural order.
It allows us to look beyond suffering and existential dilemmas.
My senses might send uncomfortable signals, but faith tells me there’s method in the madness.
It enables me to face chaos, pain, and injustice with courage.
Faith is the psychological lens that extracts good from life’s messiness.
Without it, we’d be adrift, overwhelmed by everything and nothing. It’s the lens of our mind, humanity, and God.
For someone to say faith isn’t real—according to what we’ve explored—faith not only is real; it is reality itself.
Psycheverse:
“For now we see through a glass, darkly.”
—1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV)
