As believers in Christ we need greater faith. We need to be more fervent in prayer. Many wonder why their prayers are so lifeless, their faith so feeble and wavering, their Christian experience so dark and uncertain. Have we not fasted, they say, and “walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?” In the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah Christ has shown how this condition of things may be changed. He says: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the ands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” Verses 6, 7. This is the recipe that Christ has prescribed for the fainthearted, doubting, trembling soul. Let the sorrowful ones, who walk mournfully before the Lord, arise and help someone who needs help. {6T 266.1}

Som dem, der tror på Kristus, behøver vi større tro. Vi trænger til at blive mere inderlige i bønnen. Mange undrer sig over, hvorfor deres bønner er så blottede for liv, deres tro så svag og vaklende, deres kristelige erfaring så mørk og uvis. »Har vi ikke fastet,« siger de, »og gået sørgeklædte for Hærskarers Herres åsyn?« Mal. 3,14. I det 58. kapitel hos Esajas har Kristus vist, hvorledes dette forhold kan ændres. Han siger: »Nej, faste efter mit sind er at løse gudløsheds lænker, at løsne ågets bånd, at slippe de kuede fri og sønderbryde hvert åg, at bryde dit brød til de sultne, bringe hjemløse stakler i hus, at du klæder den nøgne, du ser, ej nægter at hjælpe dine landsmænd.« Es. 58,6-7. Dette er den recept, Kristus har foreskrevet for den forsagte, tvivlende, bævende sjæl. Lad de sorgfulde, der går i sørgeklæder for Herrens åsyn, stå op og hjælpe en eller anden, som behøver hjælp.