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A True Measure of Faith · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  When an individual takes up the spiritual path, he normally
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  starts by desiring peace, knowledge, power or some kind of
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  solace or comfort. But what if he is actually faced
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  with an unending series of obstacles, challenges, threats
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  and various forms of physical, vital or mental suffering?
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  In such a case, does he maintain his complete faith in the divine
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  or does he begin to doubt the Divine, the truth, the path, the
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  teaching or his own abilities to follow it?
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  Tibet's great Yogi Milarepa suffered from doubts as he was
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  given hard back breaking work that seemed meaningless, while
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  his guru gave the teachings to a number of others without that
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  demand. He reached a breaking point but
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  persevered, maintained his faith even if by a thread, and
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  eventually obtained the teachings and the realization
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  that comes from practising them. Complete faith implies complete
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  acceptance. If we demand peace or serenity
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  or some other form of solace from the Divine, we are
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  bargaining, and our faith is conditional, not absolute.
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  If we are here not for personal experiences of peace or bliss,
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  but to participate in the great transition to the next stage of
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  conscious evolution, we have to expect that the path is 1 of
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  confronting the obstacles, difficulties, nots, vital
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  resistances, mental opposition, and physical weaknesses along
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  the way. This is not then a path of
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  retreat, but a path filled with difficulties that must be faced
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  and resolved for that next evolutionary principle to
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  manifest. In such a case, the existence of
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  these challenges is not only part of the path, but
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  essentially the path itself. The faith lies then, in
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  accepting that this is the way, and that the Divine has given
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  each individual who accepts this program within himself the exact
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  challenges and issues he is both meant to confront and eventually
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  to resolve and overcome for the general development of
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  consciousness. A disciple asks, Can't trust be
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  total and entire? The Mother responds quote.
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  Not necessarily. Well, there is a shade of
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  difference, however, I don't know.
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  It is not the same thing. One has given oneself totally to
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  the divine work. One has faith in it, not only in
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  its possibility, but faith that it is the thing which is true
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  and which must be. And one gives oneself entirely
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  to it without asking what will happen.
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  And so therein or thereon may be grafted a certitude, a
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  confidence that one is capable of accomplishing it, that is, of
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  participating in it and doing it because one has given oneself to
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  it. A confidence that what 1 is
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  going to do, what one wants to do, one will be able to do.
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  That this realization one wants to attain, one will attain.
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  The first does not put any questions, does not think of the
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  results. It gives itself entirely.
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  It gives itself and then that's all it is, something that
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  absorbs 1 completely. The other may be grafted upon
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  it. Confidence says yes, I shall
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  participate, realize what I want to realize.
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  I shall surely take part in this work for the other.
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  One has faith in the Divine, that it is the Divine who is all
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  and can do all and does all, and who is the only real existence.
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  And one gives oneself entirely to this faith, to the Divine.
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  That's all. One has faith in the existence
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  of the Divine and gives oneself. And there can also be grafted
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  upon this a trust that this relation one has with the
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  Divine. This faith one has in the Divine
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  will work in such a way that all that happens to him, whatever it
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  may be, all that happens to him, will not only be an expression
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  of the divine will that of course is understood, but also
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  the best that could happen, that nothing better could have
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  happened to him, since it is the Divine who is doing it for him.
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  This attitude is not necessarily a part of faith, for faith does
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  not question anything. It does not ask what the
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  consequence of itself giving will be.
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  It gives itself, and that's all. While confidence can come and
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  say that's what the result will be.
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  And this is an absolute fact, That is, the moment one gives
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  oneself entirely to the divine without calculating, in a total
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  faith, without bargaining of any kind, one gives oneself, and
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  then come what may, that does not concern me.
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  I just give myself automatically.
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  It will always be for you in all circumstances, at every moment,
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  the best that will happen. Not the way you conceive of it
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  naturally. Thought knows nothing.
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  But in reality, well, there's a part of the being which can
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  become aware of this and have this confidence.
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  This is something added on to faith which gives it more
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  strength. A strength.
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  How shall I put it of total acceptance and the best
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  utilization of what happens. End Quote reference.
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  Shrioro Bindu and the mother looking from within.
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  Chapter 5. Attitudes on the Path, pages 134
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  to 135.