How is our faith strengthened?

For our sake, the Lord Christ put on our weakness that we might enjoy His strength. The scholar Origen says, “Faith in the crucified Christ grants us authority. And if we lack anything, the power of God supplies it to us through our faith.”⁶⁵

St. Augustine says, “But wonderful it is, that when Christ Crucified is preached, two hear, one despises, the other ascends. Let him that despises, impute it to himself; let not him that ascends, arrogate it to himself. For he has heard from the True Master; no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father (John 6:65). Let him rejoice, that it has been given; let him render thanks to Him Who gives with humble, not an arrogant heart; lest what he has attained through humility, he lose through pride … For unto Him Who is everywhere we come by love, not by sailing . But even if in this kind of voyage, waves and tempests of diverse temptations abound; believe in the Crucified; that your faith may be able to climb upon the Wood. You shall not sink, but shall be borne upon the Wood. Thus, even thus, amid the waves of this world did he sail, who said, But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:14) … .”⁶⁶ “Our faith initially grows when we receive the preached word. After that, we are granted the presence of truth, as we are granted joyful contemplation and perfect peace. That is what will be granted to us in God’s eternal kingdom.”