Again on the idea that faith in Amida comes from Amida - very simple explanations

There are many who get stuck at the idea of shinjin (faith) coming from Amida, or being Amida's gift. However, this is a very simple thing, and you should understand it in a simple way, so that it may not become an obstacle.

First of all, shinjin or simple faith in Amida is like when you do not know how to fix your car and you trust John who is a mechanic to fix it for you. In our case, you cannot attain Buddhahood by yourself and you trust Amida Buddha to help you attain it by taking you to His Pure Land.Your trust in John arises because you heard he is a very skilled mechanic and you saw him doing other repairs. So, in truth, John is the one who makes you trust him.

Also, let’s say you have a best friend. To have faith in your best friend is, in fact, answering to his love and to the fact that he is constantly there for you, so in fact, your trust in him is his gift. You trust him because of him.

See, its nothing complicated here, so don't get stuck with the idea of shinjin or faith being a gift from Amida.  Even worldly faith in our unenlightened companions is like this. Our feelings for them is also their gift. We trust in them because they love us or because they trick us. Even trusting a good looking woman who makes you fall in love with her is also “her gift”, as she makes you love her/get attached to her. Of course, it's your own delusional need for human company at work here too (in Amida's case is your openess to Him), but her skills in seducing you make you definitely fall in love with her.

This is the mechanism of any faith – even if you decide to trust me as a friend, I  am also the one who makes you trust me (offering you the “gift” of trusting ) by my behavior and the things I do for you or the love I show to you. Its also the same with a mother. The unconditional love a mother sends to her child makes the child (influences the child to) trust her. Its nothing complicated here.

The power of a dictator makes all people tremble, the power of motherly love or friendly love, makes one entrust to one’s mother or friend. The Power of Amida's Infinite Compassion makes (influences) those open to Him to have faith in Him. 

Once we understood the above simple explanations of such a profound truth, we should not complicate our minds anymore, nor wait for special things to happen, but simply entrust to Amida.