Just when you think you’ve gotten a clear understanding of what it means to walk by faith, something happens in your life to make you feel you’re almost back at square one. This is exactly what happened to me the day after having the most impactful prayer session I’ve ever had. Whammm! There it was, a formidable obstacle I didn’t see coming. I said to myself, “This is just another trick of the devil!” In fact, it was more than this. It was a mirror presented by my own thoughts and feelings of fear, those that were lurking just beneath the surface. Up to this point, I was operating in the faith I knew, and God has never failed me, but I had to face the reality that I had not been pushed to go beyond a certain level of discomfort. I had to deal with the answer to the question, “Do I truly trust and believe that no matter what, God has my back?”
I noticed a pattern. Different variations of the same negative situations kept popping up, and with each instance, the circumstances became more severe. Sometimes, we become easily offended when we’re hit with tribulations. We begin to think that God has left us alone. Wrestling with trusting Him can be one of the darkest places a Christian can tread. It leaves a lot of room for doubt and ambivalence.
Most of us have heard quite a lot of teaching on the subject of doubt. We’ve been schooled on the danger of letting it into our minds, and this can add even another layer of complication. Hebrews 11:6 tells us it is impossible to please God without faith, and some of us might think that if we have doubt in the slightest way, God will not come to our rescue. This isn’t true, of course. God will always come to our aid, but He will also teach us in ways that help us grow in faith.
There will always be disappointments in life. There will be tribulations. In John 16:33, Jesus Christ told the disciples that in the world they will have many trials and sorrows, but they must be encouraged greatly in their hearts because He, our precious Lord and Savior, has overcome the world. He has won the victory for us. Heavenly Father wants us to realize that we have an enemy, and he, the devil, works through worldly systems. Romans 8 lists some of the persecutions that believers endure; tribulations, distress, being talked about and lied on, the perils of lack and loneliness, and danger coming very close to our lives; it can seem as if we’re just sheep waiting to be devoured. Then, Romans 8:37 tells us that none of these things will separate us from the love of Christ. It says, “despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”
It may not feel like it from where we stand this moment, but we have the victory over any circumstance facing us. Jesus Christ has already won it. Through fear, the enemy tries to keep us from seeing what Christ has done for us; he tries to convince us that God will not come to our rescue. Fear belongs to the devil; it’s his domain. Continually stirring the pot of our anxieties and working through others to prick us, the enemy uses our fear to get us quaking in our boots. We need to know with great confidence that God will help us be released from this fear. He will do it for us if we ask Him, in the powerful name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ left the throne of God to come to earth to save us. He became a flesh and blood person and shared in all the things that we deal with as humans. He did this because God, our Heavenly Father, gave him this mission. The heart of Christ was to do the Will of the Father because he loves Him and he loves us. Hebrews 2:14-15(NLT) says, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Jesus Christ has won every victory for us. He showed us how to trust and love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. Through his sacrifice and resurrection, we are released from anything that tries to hold us back or keep us locked down.
He’s given us the victory! If you’re struggling to see the victory of Christ in some area of your life, don’t let your doubt place you in more self-condemnation. Don’t let fear and doubt put a wedge in your relationship with God. Ask Him to help your faith and talk with Him honestly about it. The Holy Spirit dwells within, and He will guide, teach, and comfort you. Take comfort in the reality that you will witness God’s grace and His awesome love and care, and this is yours for the asking even if your faith isn’t quite where it needs to be.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“What Happens if Your Faith Isn’t Where It Needs to Be?”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2019. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.