When we come into a devotee’s association after suffering so much distress in life, we learn that Krishna is the ultimate goal of life and that there is nothing higher than Krishna’s lotus feet. Our faith has awakened. We then begin to execute devotional service with the strength we have received from that devotee. And by the continued association of devotees who are more advanced than us, our sraddha will be protected and increase. Once sraddha has taken birth in a living entity’s heart, that living entity must always remain in the association of devotees at every stage of his or her devotional service—even up to the topmost platform of prema—in order to nicely protect Sraddhadevi.
(LFD, Vol2, Faith—The Price for the Holy Name, Pg 96, last paragraph)