FactFaithFeeling

What Faith Is - 5

It is not difficult to obtain strong, believing faith.
Put your will on the side of Christ - not a passing wish, but the whole desire and choice of your being.

     Be willing to believe;
     or be willing to be made willing to believe.

Lift your eyes toward Christ.
If you cannot see Him, look towards the place where you think He is.
Remind Him that He is the author of faith, and that faith is His gift.
Claim faith from Him, and reckon that in answer to your appeal He does indeed confer this priceless boon.

You may not feel faith, but you will find yourself

• unconsciously thinking of Christ,
• counting on Christ,
• going out toward Christ;

and that engagement of the soul with Christ is faith.

Be careful of the tender plant which has thus been planted within you. Give it plenty of sunshine.

• Live outside yourself in the consideration of WHO Christ is. Feed faith on her native food of promise, and let her breathe her native air on the hills of communion with the Lord.
• Treat all suggestions of doubt as you would questions as to the fidelity of your dearest friend.
• Avoid the cold blast that sets in from skeptical books and talk.
• Be sure to live up to your highest conceptions of duty towards God and other people.

Your faith will be in exact proportion to your obedience.
Inability to trust almost always denotes some failure to obey.
If faith is faltering, ask yourself whether you have not dropped the thread of obedience, and go back to the place where you lost it.

Christian (from Pilgrim's Progress) could not face the lions till he had sorrowfully retraced his steps to the arbor where he slept and had recovered his roll.

Father,
my desire is to be obedient to You so that my faith remains strong,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.