23
MAR

The Power of Belief

MICHAEL W. JACKSON

March 23, 2022

The ubiquitous news of the situation in Ukraine has caused me to reflect on the power of belief. Despite what they lack in military hardware to defend themselves from Russian aggression, the Ukrainian people believe they can win the war against them and preserve the sovereignty of their country. Bombs and other weapons of war have the power to destroy targets and sadly in many cases to eradicate human life. Yet for all their destructive power, weapons are vastly outnumbered by humanity. When the collective consciousness of humanity is united on a belief, it is a force to be reckoned with. Even in the face of war, history has shown us the power of the human will can overcome a seemingly more powerful adversary.

Most of us are not faced with the dire circumstances of possibly losing our lives for something we belief in, but each of us can ask ourselves if the beliefs we hold guide us in a direction that is positive and life-affirming or toward paranoia, insecurity and self-destruction. This does imply the power of belief can manifest itself in ways that can be either negative or positive. The death and destruction occurring presently in Ukraine is the result of the belief of one man, the Russian leader. When a collection of individuals had beliefs based on misinformation, it resulted in the American Insurrection on January 6, 2021. Positive belief is probably best exemplified by Mahatma Gandhi who employed nonviolent resistance to support a movement which led to India's independence from British rule. Again and again history demonstrates events which resulted from powerful beliefs. What beliefs do you hold which can be equally as powerful? You may not believe you have beliefs that can be sufficiently impactful to change the world. You do not have to change the world but are the beliefs you hold leading to actions that help you to better yourself and those around you? Do not underestimate the significance of this question. For it can be perplexing do know what to believe. I believe it is important here to make a distinction between information and beliefs. Information is short term input you receive from people, social media or even reading books. Whereas it is true repetitive informational input can shape our beliefs, beliefs are formulated in the mind through inspiration and reflection that guide the actions that will determine the destiny of our lives. A belief that helps you to better yourself and those around you should be the litmus test and standard for any belief you hold close. It has the power to guide the actions that will determine the destiny of your life.


Michael W. Jackson