Four Things To Remember When Your Faith is Tested
Has your faith ever been tested to the point, you were on the verge of giving up?
I can surely testify to that. There was a time when I found myself questioning if this what Christianity was really about— test and trials… and if it was, I wanted out IMMEDIATELY. I wanted to give up.
Needless to say, with God’s grace and love I did not give up. Instead, I rejoice as I see just how everything that happened to me has and continues to work out for my good.
Just as He is working things out for my good, you can have faith that He is working them out for your good as well.
Here are 4 things to remember when your faith is tested:
1. Trusting God makes all the difference.
There were many times that God supernaturally provided for me last year.
Have I struggled? Yes, but because I am His beloved daughter He always provides for me in His perfect timing; that’s what fathers do!
I learned that my source of help is not a man, a job, financial aid, or anything else but my father in heaven.
This is true for all areas in our lives, not just finances. God is the provider of our strength, our love, our purpose, our hope, our peace, and so much more, all we have to do is believe and trust Him.
2. Don’t just pray for it, Work for it!
The Bible says the promises of God are a Yes and Amen (2 Cor 1:20) but the bible also says that faith without works is dead. (James 2:17).
This means that as Christians we should have faith in the promises of God, that He will provide for us, heal us, etc, yet we should always be working our faith by praying, sowing, fasting, etc.
To be honest, when faced with all the trials of last year I was so quick to get angry at God. I was believing in His promises, so why wasn’t I seeing them come to play in my life?
He taught me that as a child of God, I can’t just wait around for a blessing to fall in my lap because there is a devil out there working to make sure I don’t get it.
Yes… God is able to do anything in His sovereignty, but more often times then not God, like the good father He is, wants us to learn to work for our blessings so that we may be able to sustain them.
God is always fighting on our behalf and He wants to give us the desires of our hearts, but we have to be willing to go to battle for them which makes victory that much sweeter.
3. Godly relationships are a must.
People that I thought would be in my life forever, I painfully found myself drifting away from last year.
Letting go of these relationships did not happen without some reluctancy and I can even admit a little rebellion on my part, but I now see that when God asks us to give something up, it’s because it’s for our own good.
I look back and realize just how much some of my relationships were hindering my walk with God because I was so concerned with how others would react if they found out I was a low-key “Jesus Freak”.
What God gave me in exchange for all the friends I lost last year was a Godly circle of women who were just as on fire for Him as I was!
Though my circle is a lot smaller now, I realize just how important it is to have Godly council. People who will love me through my weaknesses and rebuke me in my slip-ups.
4. You are stronger than you think.
Having gone through it all, I am confident that whatever life throws at me I am strong enough to overcome.
God protected me when I was a babe in the faith. As I get older in Him, He is now entrusting me with a sword to fight the enemy and His works in my life.
The warrior that God has called me to be has been awakened and this warrior has no intention of putting her sword down anytime soon.
Trust me… One day you will be able to look back and rejoice for what God is currently bringing you through.
Yes some may have shook you, some may have hurt you, but none of them were your demise. God’s grace kept you through it all.
Your life sits perfectly in God’s hands. Though He is not the author of the pain in your life, He does allow certain things to happen in order to shape you and strengthen you for the great places He wants to take you.
Remember that trouble is certain to come in one form or another but also remember…
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
