The struggle to believe is common for all who grapple with their own brokenness, and while the guilt for unbelief rests upon the human heart, the capacity to trust Christ is the free and sovereign gift of God. Because faith is not an achievement of your own will but a work of the Spirit, you are encouraged to look away from your own inability and instead rest in the sufficiency of the one who commands you to trust Him.
The Scriptures acknowledge the deep tension between the command to believe and the frailty of our human nature. When the father in the Gospel brings his son to Jesus, he candidly confesses, 'I believe; help thou mine unbelief' (). This illustrates that even when a seed of faith is present, we are often plagued by an internal, natural bias toward doubt. Reformed theology identifies this as a consequence of the fall; the mind and heart are not neutral, but are often 'retarded and impeded' by ignorance and sin (). Consequently, we find ourselves unable to stir up true, saving faith by mere force of will, as we are 'prone to unbelief' by our natural constitution ().
While our inability is real, the Reformed tradition is careful to maintain that the blame for unbelief remains with the individual, not with God. The clearly states that the guilt of unbelief is in no wise in God, but in man himself. When people reject the gospel, it is not due to a deficiency in the sacrifice of Christ, but is 'wholly to be imputed to themselves' (). This prevents the despair of thinking that God is the author of our rebellion. We are responsible creatures, yet we are also dependent creatures. This reality, while seemingly paradoxical, guards the truth that we are justly held accountable for our hardness of heart, even while we are simultaneously unable to overcome that heart's enmity without the intervention of sovereign grace.
If faith were a work of our own will, we would have cause to boast in ourselves; however, Scripture identifies it as a work of God (). Faith is not a commodity we produce to 'pay' for salvation; it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit's operation in us. John Owen argued that to suggest faith is merely an act of our own power, independent of grace, is to undermine the very nature of the New Covenant, which promises that God will 'effectually work' its conditions in all his people (). Because Christ purchased for his people not just the opportunity for salvation but the gift of faith itself, we may look to him to grant what we cannot generate. Our inability is the starting point for receiving this gift, as we are brought to the end of our own strength to lean entirely upon his.
Given that faith is the work of the Spirit, we must pursue the means he has ordained. Charles Spurgeon advises that the 'shortest way to believe is to believe' (). We often waste time 'discussing methods' while ignoring the simple command to trust. If you are struggling, go to God in prayer and tell him exactly what puzzles you; ask him to solve your doubts through his Word (). Faith often comes by hearing the gospel repeatedly, allowing the truth to take root as the Spirit blesses the testimony of others and the promises of Scripture. Do not look within yourself for the 'faith' to believe; look to the object of faith—Jesus Christ. Think upon who He is and what He has done. He has not given you reason to distrust him; rather, He commands your trust as your Maker. By studying the Evangelists and the epistles, you expose your mind to the very atmosphere where the Spirit creates belief.