This counterpart to my thoughts on love is faith, or belief.
When it comes to believing I think that the general idea is that if you have to choose to believe it is almost seen as a second rate kind of belief. We want to be born believers. I feel as though it is seen that because you had to make that choice, you are acknowledging that for at least a small instance you didn't have complete faith.
The idea of ever not having a perfect faith seemed out of the realm of possibility for me pretty much my whole life. Or at least letting others know that my faith in God in the church wasn't perfect was simply not acceptable. How much of this was taught, and how much of it was just me wanting others to think higher of me? I can't yet tell. This may very well only be my prideful self that ever even has this thought (especially because the number of times that I have heard others speak of their lack of faith, or trial of faith haven't been few). Maybe the rest of the world either doesn't judge others as I have done, and doesn't thing that others are going to do the same to them, or they are humble enough to not really care, but I know that for me this feeling that either really does exist, or that I have projected onto others has forced me to claim faith that I didn't really have in the past.
At the very least I feel as though we wan't to have faith pushed upon us and just have it overpower us, simply because that would make things a whole lot easier.
There are certainly times when we are hopelessly believing: when I have an especially good scripture study, when I hear the voice of the prophet or apostle testify, as I talk in a quite place with my brother about eternal truths that we have come to know. During those times I can actively feel the truthfulness of this gospel in me and I couldn't imagine not believing, because the feelings I am having are so overwhelming, and there isn't anything that another could possibly say.
However, there will come a time—and it always comes faster than you think it will—when you will have to make a conscious decision that you are going to continue believing. The need will arise for you to actively remember those times when you couldn’t not believe and more importantly you are going to have to make a real effort to CREATE those situation. You are going to have to put the effort forward in your studies and give the sincerity necessary in your prayers, and the time to serve those around you.
I don't think the fact that I have to choose to believe makes it any less real- if I was simply born a believer and it so happened that I believed from the begging I think THAT would make it less real. Like it was a genetic chance or something. And as long as faith is a choice I think that it is the best one you’ll ever make. It will certainly be the most intelligent one. My choice to believe has brought more happiness and peace (things that you can’t buy or manipulate your way into) into my life than any other single decision in my entire existence. I know that God is my father and he loves me, that His son Jesus Christ is my redeemer and that he has died for me. I know that that very same Jesus chose Joseph Smith to restore the Gospel on the earth and that it is now here in its fulness. I know these things because I have been actively choosing to believe them for a long time now.
Thoughts from someone with authority:
Elder Anderson: My dear friends, your faith did not begin at birth, and it will not end at death. Faith is a choice. Strengthen your faith, and live to be deserving of the Savior’s approving words: “Great is thy faith.” As you do, I promise you that your faith, through the grace of Jesus Christ, will one day allow you to stand with those you love, clean and pure in the presence of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Also, here is something fun that I found about faith that I really liked while causing through the internet about faith:
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