Faith or belief is a gift. An incident in the Gospel of Matthew illustrates this point. Peter answered, Some say John the Baptist, others, Elijah and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Peter replied, you are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Jesus then said, You are favored indeed, Simon Peter.
Faith is something given.
Occasionally I am asked about my belief or faith. Sometimes I am asked why I believe. Through the years I have answered the question in different ways, but now I believe that it is simply a gift. But I ll admit that among the people I have admired, many seemed to have a quality of life that was related to their faith. The Gospel of John suggests that those who believe are like sheep who are able to hear the voice of the one who calls them.