It’s much easier to believe in something, if someone has already done it. I guess that’s why we like stories when the underdog succeeds.
The principle of faith is difficult to grasp.  If you fear, faith leaves. An athlete must be positive before the race, and during the race. If he thinks,“I can’t do this” he diminishes his ability.
Cancer patients often beat the odds. But sometimes they don’t. We often say that this was God’s will.
I guess that’s what makes faith so difficult. Is it God’s will I walk on water? Is it God’s will that I succeed in this endeavor? Or is this one of those times when it is good for me to learn patience, to learn compassion, to learn lessons I have not conquered? Is my suffering part of the plan for my progress?
I know of stories, where family members had faith for a loved one who was near death. Their prayers seemed to keep the person alive, and when they realized it was God’s will otherwise, they let him go, they stopped praying to keep him alive. And he passed quietly. My step dad at age 89 all of a sudden developed very low blood platelets, he was slipping away, but he wanted desperately to stay. Until he had a priesthood blessing that informed him that it was ok to go–to go back home to God, he continued to linger. After the blessing–he quietly passed on. Our will and God’s will seem to be intertwined.
There are so many examples in the scriptures, stories such as when Peter walks out of the boat, to meet Christ on the water. He stepped out with faith, but as the realization of wind rocked the water, he feared. And failed. And Christ said, do not fear, do not have so little faith. Even for something so insignificant as walking on water? Peter wanted to do this, but really there was no real need. That fascinates me.
We have experiences that help us learn to walk by faith, but usually they’re not much fun. I suppose afterwards, after you learn this principle, you feel good.
It seems so simple, but why is it so hard to understand, to practice? It’s often those times, after all you did, you did not get what you wanted, that your faith falters. But that’s part of the experience. Keep up the good fight, as related by George A. Smith about Joseph Smith (his cousin)–
Cousin Joseph (Smith) came to see me. I told him I was almost discouraged, being afraid that my joints would be drawn out. He told me I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround me. If I were sunk into the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me I ought not to be discouraged, but hang on, exercise faith, and keep up good courage, and I should come out on top of the heap.
 
[Memoirs of George A. Smith,” typescript copy, BYU Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Provo, Utah, 36.]
There are people who have stories of walking into the water, and then they parted. Or walking on the water, and not fearing or falling in. And stories of being almost discouraged…But always getting their feet wet.

If we look carefully we will find them in our own lives.