--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith's most severe tests come not when…" description: "\"Faith's most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith vain.\" — Elisabeth E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/elisabeth-elliot-1209_evidence_faith-s-most-severe-tests-come-not-when_2529268.jpg" --- # Faith's most severe tests come not when we see nothing… ![“Faith's most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith vain.” quote by Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/elisabeth-elliot-1209_evidence_faith-s-most-severe-tests-come-not-when_2529268.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/elisabeth-elliot-1209_evidence_faith-s-most-severe-tests-come-not-when_2529268.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/elisabeth-elliot-1209_evidence_faith-s-most-severe-tests-come-not-when_2529268.jpg) > “Faith's most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith vain.” [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith is tested not by lack of evidence but by overwhelming evidence that seems to contradict belief, prompting deeper reflection. **In simple terms:** Strong evidence can challenge faith. Key Takeaway Use evidence to deepen, not abandon, faith. Themes faith evidence challenge growth Mood thoughtful reflective Type theological motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - academic study - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts theology psychology cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - What evidence challenges your beliefs? - How can you integrate doubt constructively? A Different Perspective Faith may be eroded if evidence is dismissed outright. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Array Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/array-evidence-1328707/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Evidence Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence-prove-1328706/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith Severe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-severe-1328704/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Prove Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove-faith-620812/) [Severe Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/severe-tests-1328705/) [Stunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stunning/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [Skeptics question the validity of a particular claim by calling for evidence to prove or disprove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/skeptics-question-the-validity-of-a-particular-claim-by-calling-for/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Never believe what you hear to the people who judge about your partner, believe if they can show an evidence to prove what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennilyndevera/never-believe-what-you-hear-to-the-people-who-judge-about-your/) [Jennilyndevera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennilyndevera/) > [THEY say, faith in God is irrational; because matters cannot prove faith. 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It would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-mcginn/faith-is-believing-things-by-definition-which-are-not-justified-by/) [Colin McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-mcginn/) > [“Devotion is diligence without assurance. 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The two operate in entirely different realms. Natural and spiritual.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dellosso-frantic/science-can-t-prove-faith-the-two-operate-in-entirely-different/) [Mike Dellosso Frantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dellosso-frantic/) > [You call for faith: I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists. The more of doubt, the stronger faith, I say, If faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/you-call-for-faith-i-show-you-doubt-to-prove-that-faith-exists-the/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [He that dies a martyr proves that he was not a knave, but by no means that he was not a fool; since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/he-that-dies-a-martyr-proves-that-he-was-not-a-knave-but-by-no-means/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/i-show-you-doubt-to-prove-that-faith-exists/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) ## More by Elisabeth Elliot > [All our problems are theological ones, William Temple said. All of them have to do with our relationship to God and his to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/all-our-problems-are-theological-ones-william-temple-said-all-of-them/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/discipline-for-the-christian-begins-with-the-body-we-have-only-one-it/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [It seems disrespectful to me to see ladies in church in very short skirts or skimpy, sleeveless tops. I would imagine that it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-seems-disrespectful-to-me-to-see-ladies-in-church-in-very-short/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The deepest lessons come out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-deepest-lessons-come-out-of-the-deepest-waters-and-the-hottest/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Everything if given to God can become your gateway to joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/everything-if-given-to-god-can-become-your-gateway-to-joy/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Lead me, Lord, to the Rock that is higher than I. Let me hear your word, give me grace to obey, to build steadily,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/lead-me-lord-to-the-rock-that-is-higher-than-i-let-me-hear-your-word/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Experience had quickly taught her that she could not survive the storms without the anchor of the constraining love of Christ and what she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/experience-had-quickly-taught-her-that-she-could-not-survive-the/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The pain of loneliness is one way in which he wants to get our attention. We may be earnestly desiring to be obedient and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-pain-of-loneliness-is-one-way-in-which-he-wants-to-get-our/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“If men and women were surer of their God there would be more genuine manliness, womanliness, and godliness in the world, and a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/if-men-and-women-were-surer-of-their-god-there-would-be-more-genuine/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [I believe with all my heart God's Story has a happy ending. . . But not yet, not necessarily yet. It takes faith to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-believe-with-all-my-heart-god-s-story-has-a-happy-ending-but-not/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-do-know-that-waiting-on-god-requires-the-willingness-to-bear/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“What do women want today? What do men want? I mean, deep down. What do they really want? If ‘times’ have changed, have human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/what-do-women-want-today-what-do-men-want-i-mean-deep-down-what-do/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [God will never disappoint us… If deep in our hearts we suspect that God does not love us and cannot manage our affairs as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/god-will-never-disappoint-us-if-deep-in-our-hearts-we-suspect-that/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Muddled thinking inevitably results in muddled living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/muddled-thinking-inevitably-results-in-muddled-living/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The world cries for men who are strong--strong in conviction, strong to lead, to stand, to suffer. I pray that you will be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-world-cries-for-men-who-are-strong-strong-in-conviction-strong-to/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) [Explore all 273 Elisabeth Elliot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## More Evidence quotes > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [“What you owe your critics are your RESULTS not explanations not defence just RESULTS.Evidence terminates Arguments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/what-you-owe-your-critics-are-your-results-not-explanations-not/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Dogmatism compensates for evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-wallace/dogmatism-compensates-for-evidence/) [Dana Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-wallace/) > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Human unhappiness is evidence of our immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/human-unhappiness-is-evidence-of-our-immortality/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The state is in danger of falling into disrepute due to the evidence of its inadequate resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-habermas/the-state-is-in-danger-of-falling-into-disrepute-due-to-the-evidence/) [Jurgen Habermas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-habermas/) > [You are innocent until proven guilty. 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