A.W.Tozer wrote: “How then shall unbelief be cured and faith be strengthened? Surely not by straining to believe the Scriptures, as some do. Not by a frantic effort to believe the promises of God. Not by gritting our teeth and determining to exercise faith by an act of the will. All this has been tried–and it never helps. To try thus to superinduce faith is to violate the laws of the mind and to do violence to the simple psychology of the heart. What is the answer? Job told us, Acquaint thyself with him and be at peace; and Paul said, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. These two verses show the way to a strong and lasting faith: Get acquainted with God through reading the Scriptures, and faith will come naturally. This presupposes that we come to the Scriptures humbly, repudiating self-confidence and opening our minds to the sweet operations of the Spirit. Otherwise stated: Faith comes effortlessly to the heart as we elevate our conceptions of God by a prayerful digestion of His Word. And such faith endures, for it is grounded upon the Rock.”
Dear friend, you can’t just wait until it’s needed and then find faith, like a pill in a bottle. Faith is something that is formed over time as we feed on God’s Word (Rom. 10:17). The crisis is sure to come so it is essential that we prepare for it by giving our undivided attention to the Word of God. Some of you are struggling and unable to cope with your crisis simply because you have neglected to do what is needed to build your faith so as to face fears such as this. However, it is not too late to start. Your experience is evidence that you can’t escape what has come upon you, but you can endure it. Although you might be struggling due to your past neglect, you can shift your focus from your failure and fears to the Word of God and your faith will begin to grow, enabling you to face the future with a faith that gives you a peace that passeth all understanding. Don’t make the same mistake twice! –HDS
