"It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you."

The essence of this quote is that the effectiveness of faith doesn’t depend on how strong or intense it is, but rather on what (or whom) you have faith in. Let’s break it down. Imagine you’re drowning in a lake. You don’t need to have a lot of confidence in the life ring someone throws you. The life ring will save you regardless of whether you believe it will with all your heart, or just a tiny bit. The key thing is that you grab onto it.

This idea comes from Christian theology, particularly emphasizing that it’s not how fervently you believe in God that matters, but that your faith is placed in God at all. This was a big deal during the Reformation when people were arguing about what it means to have true faith and how one is saved. Martin Luther, for example, emphasized that salvation comes from faith in Christ, not from any works or the intensity of belief.

Take a real-life example: Imagine a doctor’s treatment. If you have a serious illness, it doesn’t matter how much you believe in the medicine. What matters is that you take it. You could be skeptical about it, or you could be fully convinced—it’s the medicine itself that does the work, not your belief in the medicine.

So, how do you apply this wisdom in daily life? Focus on the reliability and truth of what you’re putting your faith in rather than trying to muster more confidence. If you’re investing in something, research it well to ensure it’s a good investment. The same goes for personal beliefs or relationships. Ensure their foundation is solid.

Let’s say you’re about to start a new job. You’re nervous and not totally convinced you can do it. Maybe your faith in your abilities isn’t strong. But you still show up and do your best. Over time, the job gets done not necessarily because you had tons of confidence but because you relied on your training, your team, and the support around you. It’s like the object of your faith—your skills, the company’s resources, and your colleagues—carried you through, even when you doubted yourself.

Think about Jen, a friend of mine, who was terrified of flying. She had little faith in the safety of airplanes. But she needed to attend her sister’s wedding across the country. Despite her fears, she got on the plane. The plane flew safely and got her there, regardless of her anxiety. It wasn’t the strength of her belief in the plane that mattered—it was the plane’s design and the pilot’s skills.

In essence, whether we’re talking about faith in God, trust in medicine, or confidence in a plane’s ability to fly, the principle remains the same. Focus on the reliability of what you’re trusting in. The strength of your belief is secondary to the steadfastness of the object of that belief.