Why is faith so difficult?

• Why is faith so dif­fi­cult for man to achieve? Whence these doubts and peri­ods of falling away? Why does faith at times with­draw from us com­pletely, though we would give every­thing to retain it? First, this is a direct temp­ta­tion of the devil. It would be extra­or­di­nary if we were not so tempted when some­thing essen­tial to us is involved. Sec­ondly, we often want and expect a proof; this means a retreat from the hero­ism of faith and a search for direct knowl­edge. And yet, each of us has an expe­ri­ence of faith, how­ever small, an expe­ri­ence of its life-giving effect on us; and to this expe­ri­ence we must hold fast.

  - Fr. Alexan­der Elchani­nov, The Diary of a Russ­ian Priest

  
  

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  January 23rd, 2007 | Grace | 6341 Commenthttp%3A%2F%2Fthis-side-of-glory.com%2Forthodoxy%2Forthodox-perspective%2Fwhy-is-faith-so-difficult%2FWhy+is+faith+so+difficult%3F2007-01-23+18%3A37%3A57Gracehttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.this-side-of-glory.com%2Farchives%2Fwhy-is-faith-so-difficult%2F |

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• Mimi 01.23.2007
  

  Thank you.

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