How do we know saving faith is bestowed by God?

We can know saving faith is bestowed when we see that faith does not point to our actions or decisions, but solely to Christ. As described in the sermon, true faith recognizes our helplessness and cries out for God's mercy, much like the Canaanite woman or the thief on the cross. This faith is not an exercise or a work that we produce; instead, it is evidence of God's promise to his elect. Therefore, saving faith is a direct result of God's initiative in salvation, where our belief is a passive response to the grace that He gives, facilitating a connection with Christ as our only hope of salvation.