Choosing to Believe

"Faith is the way of holding onto what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see." - Hebrews 11:1

Let's be honest, most of us have serious doubts when it comes to our faith. We can sit in church and just not feel anything. We want to feel God's presence and really feel He exists, and, if we don't get that, then it must not be real. For this reason, one of my favorite saints is Saint Therese of Lisieux. It was as if she was born having faith! Since she was a little girl, all she dreamed of was of becoming a nun and entering the convent. Then, when she was 23 years old, one year before her death, she felt as if God allowed for an iron curtain to fall between her and Him. She lost her faith completely. She couldn't feel anything at all and felt herself in total darkness. Not even memories of the experiences she had with Jesus helped. Now this is what made her such a great saint - instead of turning away from God because she no longer felt anything at all, she prayed harder. In her letters to her sisters, which were collected and made into a book, "Story of a Soul," Therese wrote that her life is no longer a matter of actually believing, but of her choosing to believe. This is really the key to faith, choosing to believe. The verse above explains it well, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It's not about feeling it. It's not about seeing anything. It's not about signs. It is about choosing to believe against all odds.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, I choose to believe in You. I choose You no matter what people think and all of their criticism. I choose You because only You have the words of eternal life. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life of my soul. Give me the grace to choose You always. In Your Name we pray, amen.