How to strengthen faith

As surprising as it might seem, in a sermon about Job’s time of questioning, George MacDonald tells us that doubting of faith is essential for a believer, that it must “precede every deeper assurance.” “To know that our faith is weak,” he wrote, “is the first step towards its strengthening” (“The Voice of Job” Unspoken Sermons). … As Brother Lawrence wrote, “The greatest glory we can give to God is to distrust our own strength utterly, and to commit ourselves wholly to His safekeeping” (The Practice of the Presence of God, p. 118). As much as we believers might hide it, we do get overwhelmed at times. … We don’t need to fear these periods of insecurity. Being a Christian isn’t about confidence in ourselves and what we believe. The strength that the saints and mystics discovered lies in self-abandonment, not self-esteem. (Drawn from Living Strong, chapt. 54, ©️ 2014.)