Throughout our lives, we feel the need to believe in something—something, someone, somewhere, and most importantly, ourselves. Although what we believe in varies from person to person, the main reason behind this need is to reduce uncertainty and the feeling of losing control over things beyond us. For example, when we feel uncertain, we might get our fortune told or read horoscopes. To make the unknown feel more predictable, we may choose to believe in stars or abstract ideas. Similarly, feeling out of control can lead to panic, create the thought “I need to take control,” and push us toward belief in God as a way to feel relief.
We all hold on to different things. We try to explain our happiness and sadness through our beliefs and share the reasons between ourselves and whatever or whoever we believe in. We may believe in religion, people, stars, a city, an object, or the universe. In doing so, we protect our psychological well-being by not getting stuck in uncertainty. The mind’s quick effort to create meaning in uncertain situations is not a weakness; it is a natural way of adapting.
A psychological concept called “need for closure” describes the tendency to seek certainty in the face of uncertainty and complexity by organizing and simplifying information, which provides cognitive and motivational support (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996). This search for certainty usually ends in whatever we choose to believe in. If that belief is in God, a person may pray or follow religious rituals to feel more in control of their life. If the belief is in the universe, they may try to “communicate” with it through their own energy to reduce uncertainty. In many situations, we share responsibility between ourselves and what or whom we believe in. Even though we are in control of our lives, we still “check in” with that belief, as if sharing the responsibility in case something goes wrong.
We also try to find reasons for the good things that happen to us and repeat the same behaviors, thinking we played a role in those positive outcomes. We need this because without belief, both our successes and our mistakes would belong entirely to us, which can create a heavy sense of guilt and responsibility. In this way, belief shows our psychological well-being for something beyond ourselves. Sometimes we look for something or someone to blame to avoid the pressure of fixing everything on our own. At other times, we look for something beyond us to explain our happiness and success. In the end, belief is something we create in our minds and largely keep under our control. Once we choose what to believe in, we leave the rest to that belief and ease the discomfort that comes with uncertainty.
Belief also brings hope into our lives. As long as we believe, we develop hope that good things can happen beyond our own control. What makes this easier is that we can create this feeling simply by believing. It can pull us out of very pessimistic states and create a sense of distance from uncertainty. Sharing life with our beliefs and the hope they bring can lighten the burdens we would otherwise carry alone. However, while these ways of regaining control may feel comforting in the short term, they also need to be questioned over time. Balanced and realistic belief can be helpful, but like everything else, it needs to be kept in moderation. Misplaced belief and excessive hope can distance us from reality and lead us into a world of illusion. In short, believe—in someone, something, somewhere, even in the sky—but if it starts to distort your sense of reality, try to choose something more grounded to believe in.
Reference
Kruglanski, A. W., & Webster, D. M. (1996). Motivated closing of the mind: “Seizing” and “freezing.” Psychological Review, 103(2), 263–283.