Faith is the strongest when it comes from personal experience. Faith is weak if it is based only on some miracles out there. Living in communion with God is real faith. Every believer has some experience of God’s direct participation in his life. Everyone has had that moment of knowing for sure that it’s Him. When doubt comes, you just need to remember this moment.
To grow in faith, you need to live by it. When asked how to acquire the gift of love, holy ascetics answered, “Do deeds of love, and your heart will acquire it.” It’s the same with faith. It is necessary to seek God and strive to fulfil His commandments. True faith is a gift of God’s grace. Sins rob us of grace, so faith and righteousness are inseparable.
You cannot suddenly lose faith; the loss of faith is a process, just like the acquisition of faith. Both consist of many small steps that we make. Therefore, it is important to understand the danger of small, imperceptible and unconscious steps away from Christ.
There are cases when a person thinks that he is losing faith in God, but the truth is that he had none in the first place. For example, one man said that he stopped believing in God, after he had prayed much but still was unable to help his sick daughter. In reality, it is not faith in God that this man had lost. He, like many other people, had an idea that there is something called “god.” This man was sure that if you ask this something really nicely, it will give you everything that you ask for.
Real Christian faith cannot be lost. When a person truly believes, he will no longer want to part with this wonderful gift of faith. Of course, everyone may have doubts, but the main thing is that they are honest and sincere. After careful consideration of your doubts, your faith will only grow stronger. It is the same with love.
We should try to hear the voice of God guiding us to salvation in any circumstances of life. Even difficult circumstances, such as the birth of a seriously ill child, the loss of a friend, relative, or a home, can lead to salvation, and should not be perceived only as a tragedy.
Translated by The Catalogue of Good Deeds
