One of the biggest challenges we face on our spiritual journey is completely trusting God’s Will, especially when our faith is being tested. A huge sign that you’re questioning your faith is when you begin to wrestle with Jesus. This is often a result of our disappointment in our lives based on our experiences and expectations. While we can’t avoid disappointment, we are told through Scripture to trust in Jesus and His promises for us. If you are dealing with a disappointment right now, remember that you can rely on Jesus. When we recognize God’s goodness, even in our daily struggles and disappointments, then we can really know God. Here are eight things you should start doing when your faith is tested:
Seek the Lord’s Guidance
When your faith is being tested, you should seek the Lord’s guidance in prayer and through His Word, the Bible. Many times, when something happens, praying and learning what God is saying about our situation is the last thing we want to do. But it is the most important thing we can do. We often try to solve the problem ourselves or seek someone else’s direction and then when things get worse, we try to include God in our situation. We will even get upset with him for not showing up when we never included him in our problems in the first place. When we take the time to pray, we get connected with God and not only can we receive strength but we can receive words of wisdom, encouragement and direction from God. This can also be done by reading Scripture.
Be Strong and of Good Courage
When our faith is being tested, it’s important that we’re strong and of good courage as the Bible instructs. One of the primary themes of the book of Joshua is “Be strong and of good courage” (Joshua 1:6-7, 9, 18). While the book of Numbers shows that Israel lacked faith to enter the land of Canaan, God inspired Joshua with courage and faith to lead Israel to meet the enemy face to face, trusting God to give them the victory. Of the 12 men selected to spy out the land of Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb brought favorable report. While the other 10 spies focused on Canaanite giants and cities with strongly fortified walls, Joshua and Caleb focused their minds on the power of God to fulfill His promises. Joshua was truly a great biblical leader.
Start Praising and Worshipping God
When our faith is being tested, at times praising God may not be the easiest thing to do as all we can think about is what we are facing. But the best time to start worshipping and praising God is when your faith is being tested. Praise and worship serves as a form of therapy that somehow comforts you in your situation.
Remember That God Gives Us Victory Over the Problems We Face
Joshua is a biblical figure who showed living faith toward God and gained victory against overwhelming odds. The lesson from Jericho, recorded in Joshua 6:1-27, helps us understand how God wants to give us victory over the problems that we face. While most of us have heard about Jericho, few of us have put the principles shown to work in our lives. We all deal with issues every day of our lives – depression, loneliness, addiction, defeat and despair are just a few to name. Jericho stands for all those things that we can’t get victory over on our own but will hurt others and eventually destroy us if we don’t. These are the things we hide in our lives: our fears, defeats, anxieties and outright deceit. God knows there is only one solution: lead them into battle against them.
Be Around Those Who Will Uplift You
When your faith is being tested, it’s important that you’re around people that will encourage your faith. Surround yourself with prayer warriors. These people will bring your situation before the Lord constantly. Through their prayers, the Lord will send help and give you the strength to endure. At His timing, He will work everything out according to His perfect Will. When your faith is being tested, this is the time to be in dialogue with friends and family that know how to bring your situation before the Lord and help you through by guiding and comforting you.
Trust God
When we focus our minds in the direction of God and proclaim His goodness, we reflect His glory. When we do this, we are filled with peace and contentment. This can help shift our outlook related to our circumstances. Finding God in the hard times can be particularly difficult. That’s why it’s so important to choose trust and hope when you can’t see the way. Even when you feel like you’ve lost all trust, turning to God will help you in your time of need as you will have hope, hope will give you the strength to rise above your situation.
Fast
This is probably one of the last things you’d think of doing when your faith is tested, but it can be incredibly helpful. When we need to hear from God quickly and we desire answers directly and expeditiously, we must fast and pray. God honors the sacrifice and obedience of fasting. When we fast our spirit lets go of the things of the world and becomes very sensitive to God’s perspective. This ultimately releases God’s power. When we do this, we put God on notice that our desire for Him is greater than our desire for anything else.
Have Faith
When your faith is tested, one of the best things you can do is have faith in God’s promises. God loves and cares about you deeply. Hebrew 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” God has so much for us that we just don’t have the ability to comprehend.
Scripture reminds us that our faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). We are also reminded in 1 Corinthians 2:5 that our faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Our Heavenly Father knows our ending from our beginning which is why He encourages us to just have faith in Him and believe that all things are possible. When we can trust God and have faith in Him and His Word, we can genuinely praise God because we know that He is working it out for good.
There is probably a good chance that at some point this year, you will be facing a very difficult circumstance. You may be up against what seems too hard to do, or maybe even impossible. But in spite of all that you may face, the same God who parted the Jordan for Israel cares just as deeply about you and me. Remember this when your faith is being tested.
