How to Overcome a Struggling Faith

Many of you may have wondered how to overcome a struggling faith.  You may have experienced all manner of emotions in your struggle that have brought you shame or embarrassment.  Or you may feel that the struggles you are having in your faith are hopeless to overcome.

I want to put your mind at ease...  EVERYONE will struggle with their faith at one time or another and there is a way to overcome...

How to Overcome a Struggling Faith - Remember, You're Not Alone

The Google definition of the word struggling is:

striving to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance

In the life of a Believer, there are indeed difficulties that cause a struggling faith.  Whether it be sin, trials, health, finances, challenges or relationships, our faith can be tested to the point that we are striving to maintain believing God in the face of our circumstances.

Believers are also faced with a very big area of resistance - Satan.  Spiritual warfare is very real and is probably the biggest challenge to a struggling faith.  After all, Satan is the father of lies and the accuser.  

You may feel that when you are around fellow Christians,  you don't want to admit when you are struggling with your faith.  You look at the other Believer's life and think, "Wow!  They have it together.  Look at how obedient their walk with Christ is.  They are so calm and peaceful all the time.  Boy, to trust God like they do.  How can they be so calm and patient all the time??"

We then apply each of those statements to ourselves, but in the negative sense.  "I don't have my life together."  "My walk is anything but obedient!  All I ever do is sin!"  "I'm always worried and anxious.  What a horrible example of a Christian I am."  "I'm horrible at trusting God."  "I'm always uptight and very impatient."

Satan loves this!  The more we focus on ourselves and our own sin, we are falling right into his hands.  Mission accomplished!  And why is that?  Our focus has turned from our redemption in Christ Jesus, to our own "lack of works" and our own failings.

Satan loves to isolate a Believer into thinking they are the only one that is struggling with their faith in the hopes that they will just abandon that faith.

The Truth of these lies is that we ALL struggle with our faith!  What we see on the outside of a Believer, may not be what is really going on on the inside.  I am not implying that Christians are fakes and putting on a face at church or in Christian circles, but what I am saying is that we ALL fall short in our thought lives and of course, in other areas, that are not necessarily seen by others.

How to Overcome a Struggling Faith - Seek Wise Counsel

Notice how above I mentioned "admit when we are struggling with our faith".  But is this really something we have to confess or more something we need to just simply seek help for?  

Just like a person wouldn't confess that they have depression or suffer with debilitating anxiety, but would seek help, as Believers, there shouldn't be a stigma when we are struggling with our faith.  We shouldn't feel ashamed or think that everyone is judging us because we are struggling in our faith, but we should seek wise counsel.    

The beauty of the Body of Believers is that we are all different.  We  have different backgrounds that have led to our very different testimonies.  We have walked in different shoes and experienced different things.  We have struggled in areas that another Believer has not.  And through all of these differences, the Lord has knit us together so that we would be an encouragement to one another.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.…

2 Corinthians 1:4

And that includes comforting another who is struggling with their faith.

If you are struggling with your faith, talk to your Pastor, Pastor's wife, or a mature Christian.  They will help you to navigate through those struggles and bring clarity as you seek to overcome.

How to Overcome a Struggling Faith - Lean on God

Unfortunately, the last Person those who are struggling with their faith will turn to is God.  They feel ashamed or that they have let Him down or their trust in Him may be shaken.  The one who is struggling might even feel that they are no longer worthy of God's love.

But the Truth of the matter is that the Lord knew we would struggle in our faith which is why we see account after account of His great patience and provision with the Israelites in the desert those 40 years when even though God was doing wonders right before their eyes, they still struggled with their faith.  

I've shared in earlier posts that my most recent time in the Old Testament, ALL I am seeing is God's great love, patience and provision.  

And the God of the Old Testament is the same God today.  His love, patience and provision has not changed!

In fact, the Lord designed us to wholly depend on Him and that includes in our faith!

"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, 

and may your whole spirit and soul and body

 be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.   

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."  

1 Thessalonians 5:23

I've always found comfort in this entire verse, but especially the last part which I underlined.  

Once we are called, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  NOTHING can snatch you out of Jesus' hands.  You are His, bought with a Great Price.   The Holy Spirit will always reside in us serving as our Comforter and Counselor bringing to our remembrance verses to comfort and to guide us.  The Holy Spirit also convicts us of sin. 

 "And when He comes He will convict the world concerning 

sin and righteousness and judgement.  

John 16:8.  

All of these agencies are lovingly applied to us for one purpose only, to draw us closer and closer to the Lord because He desires soo much to be in a relationship with us and to allow circumstances that will increase our faith and obedience which ultimately bring with it God's blessings.

You may think, "but in my struggles with my faith, I also have struggles with God, and I feel angry toward Him".

The Lord understands this.  He has compassion upon you and will remain faithful to you.  Remember you are His forever.  Your struggling faith will not change that.

if we are faithless, he remains faithful— 

for he cannot deny himself.

2  Timothy 2:13

If only our first line of defense against a struggling faith would be to go right to God.

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Matthew 9:24  

That's why it is so important to understand that there is NOO shame in having a struggling faith.  In fact, you could look at your struggling faith as the means by which God will use to show you just how faithful He is.

How to Overcome a Struggling Faith - Act Quickly

When you find that you are struggling in your faith, don't wait to see if you can figure it out yourself just because you are ashamed to tell someone that you are struggling.   Just like a person who is suffering from depression and is having dark thoughts shouldn't wait to seek help, a struggling faith can feel just as dark and not only that, but becomes vulnerable to more of Satan's lies which is why it is so important to seek wise counsel as soon as you begin struggling. Remember there is no need to be ashamed of how you are feeling.

May we all remember that there will be times that we will struggle in our faith, but God is faithful to complete His work in us.   Know that you are not alone in your struggles.  The Lord is right there with you ready to comfort, guide and reassure you.  There are Believers who would love to help you overcome your struggling faith.  And finally remember WHOSE you are and that NOTHING will remove His love from you, not even when you are struggling in your faith.  

By remembering and putting feet to all of these things, you will overcome your struggling faith.

For similar posts, click on the following:

Help My Unbelief!

7 Powerful Truths to Remember When You Doubt God

Believing the Unseen

6 Absolute Truths to Remember When Your Faith is Shaken

2 Powerful Words that will Increase Your Faith in God

God's Provision When Your World is Falling Apart

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