There is nary anything easy about persevering in faith.
Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, writes of her bitter struggle to keep the faith: “I try to live by faith, even though it affords me no consolation. I have made more acts of faith during the past year than in all the rest of my life.”
Painful trials stand to strengthen our faith. In such moments, the soul believes not because of the consolation faith gives, not because it trusts in its feelings or enthusiasm, nor even in the little it does understanding about divine mysteries, but it believes only because God has spoken.
When our blessed Lord wants to lead souls into more intimate union with Him, He often has them undergo such trials. Such moments are the very occasion to proclaim our faith by throwing ourselves into His arms with our eyes closed.
