Why is great faith considered rare?

In Matthew 8, Jesus expresses surprise at finding such great faith in the centurion, noting its rarity among the Israelites despite their religious upbringing. This rarity speaks to the nature of faith as a divine gift, not a human achievement. Many may appear religious or moral but lack true faith that rests entirely in Christ for salvation. The reality is that without the drawing of the Holy Spirit, no one will acknowledge their need for Christ. Great faith involves a total surrender and an understanding that apart from Christ, one can do nothing. Such humility and dependency make this faith exceedingly rare.