When Faith Feels Tested
Faith can be a difficult thing to deal with in times of trouble. It can be hard to find answers to prayers. You feel they are taking too long to be received.
You trust in God for all the good things in your life. Yet, you still have problems that you must face every day. When these types of situations happen, we start to question ourselves.
Do I have Weakness? Have I lost my faith? Or, Is God no longer close by to help me? There is nothing wrong with struggling. Struggling means that you are human.
Even the strongest of Christians will go through periods of doubt, fear and pain throughout their Christian life. These types of struggles will not mean that God has abandoned you.
In fact, during these hard times, God is often working in your life. He does this in ways that you do not see him.
The Bible teaches us these kinds of truths:
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.” — Isaiah 43:2 (KJV)
This article provides step-by-step instructions. It explains how to develop your faith in God during difficult times. It includes simple and practical tips. To strengthen your faith in God, you do not need to have perfect faith. Instead, you must have a willing heart. During hard times, you feel, burdened and uncertain about life.
By trusting in God more each day, you can find peace. You can also find hope in the Lord.
Understand That Trials Are Part of the Christian Walk
Difficult times can shake our faith for many reasons. One reason is that many people do not expect having difficulties or problems because they have begun to follow GOD! But the Word of God instructs us differently!
Jesus Himself said:
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 (KJV)
Difficulties Do Not Show a Lack of Divine Favor
Difficulties do not mean that God has turned his back on an individual. Rather, these difficulties are a result of living in a sinful world and should be expected. The Old Testament is full of faithful believers. Joseph, David, Job, and Paul experienced trials and tribulations throughout most of their lives. Still, God walked beside them throughout their hardships.
God uses tough times in our lives to strengthen our faith. These challenges do not destroy our faith. It’s much like how the human body builds muscle through exposure to resistance and stress. Difficult periods offer opportunities to learn to rely on God’s promises and build faith in Him.
The scripture confirms this:
“The trying of your faith worketh patience.” — James 1:3 (KJV)
Once you recognize trials to be part of the Christian experience, you won’t see them as a punishment. Rather, they will be viewed as an opportunity to grow in your relationship with God. God does not want to waste your suffering, He desires to build your faith through your pain.
Stay Anchored in God’s Word
When life gets tough, God’s Word is even more vital than before. The Bible serves as more than just a book; it provides strength, calmness, and guidance in tough times. The Bible acts as an anchor for your heart during emotional storms.
The Bible says:
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” — Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
When you are uncertain as to which direction to take, you can rely upon God’s Word for guidance. Whenever anxiety tries to overwhelm you, the Scriptures point out God’s many promises. Reading the Bible helps us shift our focus away from life’s difficulties. It allows us to center our thoughts on the Lord, who is sovereign over all.
You do not need to read an entire chapter of the Bible every day. If you spend just a few minutes reading some verses each day, it will strengthen your faith in God. You should read Psalms when you need comfort. Read Proverbs when you need wisdom. Explore the Gospels when you are wanting to learn more about Jesus.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” — Romans 10:17 (KJV)
Filling your Heart with God’s Word Helps you Increase Your Faith Level as You Face Problems in Life. As you read from and Meditate on the Scriptures more while enduring Hard Times, the Greater Your Faith will be.
Prayer is Very Important in Times of Difficulty.
When you are Suffering, your Prayer life is the Way that you connect to God. You don’t have to pray a lot. You don’t need to use fancy Words. Just be honest with God and give Him your Heart.
The Bible has Given Us a Promise that:
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” — Psalm 34:18 (KJV)
God is always near you when you feel overwhelmed and incapable of making sense of your feelings. Through prayer, you can share with God all of your fears, doubts, and pains. God knows how you feel. But, you need to express these thoughts in prayer. This gives Him the opportunity to comfort you.
You often struggle to find the right words when praying. In these situations, keep your prayers simple. Use brief phrases like, “Lord help me,” or “Lord give me strength.” Even being silent can be considered a form of prayer.
The scriptures also give extra support.
“Casting all of your anxiety on Him, because He careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, KJV)
You pray to God during times of great suffering to acknowledge your pain. By doing this, you place your pain in God’s hands. Over time, through praying, you will experience an overwhelming peace. Your faith in God will be renewed even before the situation itself changes.
Lean on Christian community for support during hard times and how doing so can strengthen one’s faith.
In hard times, many people withdraw from others by not saying anything (i.e., staying quiet) and trying to deal with things on their own without support (i.e., being isolated). Nevertheless, the opposite is true. When someone goes through a hard time, isolation often causes them to lose their faith. It does not strengthen it.
God did not intend for the difficult times that we go through in life to be done alone. He has placed people in your life to be a source of support, encouragement, and prayer for you. The Bible tells us,
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, KJV).
For this reason, it is okay to seek out assistance from someone. Speaking with someone you trust can lead to comfort and clarity. This be a friend, pastor, or fellow member of your congregation. God often uses people to answer our prayers. They give us with support, encouragement, and reminders of His promises.
Having a fellowship with believers around you is essential. It will help you keep your faith when you feel like it is at a low level. Being around other believers can raise your spirits on those days when you can’t raise your own. Their prayers will help you continue when you feel weak.
The Bible states that there is power in community:
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20, KJV).
Keep your connection to the community of believers around you. It helps guarantee that, when times get tough, your faith is not lost. Instead, it is protected. No one has to go through anything alone; God will walk with us through the people we have around us.
Put Your Trust In God, Don’t be Afraid, Every Day
We are reminded in God’s Word that we should not be afraid. Why? Because fear can consume us!
The Bible also states:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and love and a healthy mind” 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV.
Every single day we choose to put our faith in God, …so when we experience fear of failure, we start trying to control our thoughts. When problems seem greater than us, we also try to control our actions. Fear will weaken our trust and faith in God’s Word.
What we need to understand is that having faith means making a daily conscious decision. It involves viewing every obstacle or challenge through the lens of God’s word. We must also proclaim that He is much bigger than the situation.
When we start having fearful thoughts, then we need to actively replace those fearful thoughts with God’s promises. We can do this by professing God’s Word over our situations. We should continually remind ourselves that God is still sovereign, even in times of uncertainty and the unknown.
As in Proverbs 3:5, we are encouraged to put our total Trust in God with All of Our Heart. We should not try to overcome our obstacles or problems by leaning only on what we know. Each time we choose to trust instead of allowing fear to overtake us, we are strengthening our Faith. Even small steps towards trusting God daily will accumulate. Over time, this will create great spiritual strength in our lives.
Recall God’s Faithfulness from the Past years
An easy way to support your faith during difficult times is to look back. Remember all the things that God has done for you in the past. This helps you to have more confidence that He will intervene on your behalf during your current challenges.
Think of the instances in your past when God intervened for you. He helped you, provided for you, and answered your prayers. These instances are not random memories, but they are reminders of God’s faithfulness and goodness. The Bible gives us a strong encouragement to remember God’s works on our behalf.
“I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old” (Psalms 77:11; KJV).
When life seems overwhelming, we often get caught up focusing on only the problems we face right now. Remembering past victories provides you with a shift in perspective about what you are now facing. It reminds you that the same God who helped you in the past is still active today. He is working on your behalf.
You can also put this practice into action by writing down answered prayers and/or testimonies. You can use these written accounts to remind you that God has not changed. They give you confidence that God will not let you down in the future.
The Bible also tells us that:
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8; KJV).
These last two verses reassure you that the past faithfulness of God is the basis for God’s current care. Remembering how God has worked in your past will help you. It will be beneficial when you need faith in God during uncertain times about the future.
Serve God While in Pain
Serving God may not appeal to you during tough times. It may seem like an unwanted task then. Pain has a way of causing all of our focus to be turned in on ourselves. Serving others, even if you can only do so in a small way, will build your faith.
Serving God does not mean you ignore what is happening in your life. It’s about obeying God and loving others, even when things are not perfect in your life. In the Bible we read:
“Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord.” —1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV)
In some cases, God uses serving other people to lift us out of depression. It helps with anxiety and other negative feelings. Through helping others, encouraging others, and praying for others, we take our eyes off our pain. Serving also is a reminder that God can still use us through our moment of weakness.
Serving God keeps your faith active and strong. When your faith is put into action, your faith grows strong through serving. Through all we do – showing kindness, speaking an encouraging word, or attending church – we are serving God.
The Bible says:
“And let us not grow weary of doing good; for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” —Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)
God observes your faithfulness, especially in difficult times. Serving God in pain will give you spiritual strength and keep hope alive.
Have Faith in God and His Promises Through Trying Times.
Hope can be seen as fragile during times of trouble. When you do not find an answer quickly, it is easy to become discouraged. Still, unlike our emotions, Christian hope relies solely on the promises of God.
As you read His Word, you will see that the suffering of this life does not last forever. Although you feel like nothing is changing right now, God is still moving in your life.
The Bible states:
“For I know the thoughts that I have towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, not evil, to give you hope for the future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV)
To have faith in God means trusting that there is a future for you. This trust exists even if there are difficulties now. God’s promises give you a foundation of truth so that you can endure through all storms in life.
Another key verse is as follows:
“Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5 KJV)
Clinging to God’s promises means you are giving your faith something to stand on. Hope does not dismiss the pain of life; it merely takes you on beyond your current circumstances. At the same time, as you continue to wait on God, your faith grows stronger. It develops deeper roots in the Lord.
Becoming Stronger During Difficulties
Difficulties will test our faith, not erase it. The difficulties that are taking place will be used by God as a testimony for you to share with others. These difficulties are shaping us, making us stronger in our walks with Christ, and drawing us closer to him.
Faith develops when we both trust and trust in our Lord while dealing with the trials of life. The Word of God says:
“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” — James 1:3 (KJV).
You will not feel the results of your faith right away. Yet, prayer is important to God. Trusting in God is also important. Taking steps to obey God holds significant value at this time. God is here with you during your pain, walking you through all your struggles.
Trust this Word, as you continue to move ahead:
“The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me.” — Psalm 138:8 (KJV).
None of the storms of life are permanent. As you keep continuing to trust in God, your faith will be stronger, deeper, and more secure than before. Life is hard. Still, you can trust in the faithfulness of God. Remember, He has not finished with you yet.
