What is it that keeps men from believing

What is it that keeps men and women from believing? And if we believe what keep us from practicing our faith. Their is no doubt that the Prophet Muhamed (PBUH) was a sound believer in Islam. But it is sometimes through his followers that we seen the truth and strength of the prophets' message come alive. The prophets' message spread through culture, race and age. The seventh person to accept Islam was a man by the name of Bilal. He was, at the time of his conversion, an Ethiopian slave. His master was a atheist, and upon hearing of his conversion, began to treat him with severe cruelty. One example of him cruelty is when he would take Bilal out on the hottest days in full armor laying him on the ground only come out to turn him around. Still Bilals' faith was sound. Bilal was twenty years old at the time. I am nineteen and I can only think to myself , what would I have done. I have no doubt that under such cruelty I would contemplate suicide, but Bilal faith was sound. He only repeated the words 'God is one' to himself (as comfort).
Soon Bilal was taken from his enslavement, and set free by one of the prophets' companion. P. Muhamed was rejoiced and through a companions' dream Bilal became the muadhin (caller to prayer). Sadly the prophets death came soon after and the whole ummah wept for the lost of one of the greatest men to live on earth. Bilal was called to make the adhan but he was so chocked up that he could not finish. He only made the adhan twice in his life after the prophets' death (once when he visited the prophets tomb). Bilal was a matyr for Islam and died at the old age of sixty- four. What a servant for islam and for Allah. A man willing to die and live for Islam. I hate myself for every salat I have not made or any fast I did not make, any time I made an excuse for doing less then the absolute best I will remember Bilal. He was literally a slave but somehow he found the strength to go on simply by remembering 'Allah is one'. Allah is my lord, what a great messenger and how beautiful were his followers.