Faith Under Pressure

Just when things couldn’t possibly get worse, they do. Just when we set our expectations in life, the unexpected happens. Whether the storms in life come out of nowhere, or we saw them coming all along, we struggle to hold on to our faith. When we have no strength to carry on, when disappointment and discouragement take hold of us, we find that the only way through it all depends upon our faith. We find our faith being tested as we endure suffering that may be physical, mental, social, financial, or all of them combined.

Charles H. Spurgeon once said, “If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.”

So what do we do when our faith is tested? Will our faith pass the test? According to the Bible, the testing of our faith is an opportunity, not an obstacle. God’s purpose for allowing the trials in our life is to strengthen us, not destroy us. He has promised that His plans are for good; He has promised to complete the work He has begun in us; He has promised to never leave us or forsake us; He has promised to be a ready help in times of trouble … so we do believe what He has promised because God is not a liar.

“Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.” James 1:3 (AMP)

So, how do we pass the test? How can be we stand strong in our faith when our world is falling out from under us? When there’s nothing we can do, when it all lies in God’s hands, we can remain steadfast in our faith by:

*Focusing Forward. When we become discouraged by the struggles we face, we tend to slip into despair by focusing upon the past. We walk down memory lane and revisit all the times that we have failed in the past or the times when we feel God let us down. We find ourselves facing greater distress when we begin doubting that God cares; it seems questionable when we’re in the midst of great suffering. God has given you forgiveness for the past, grace for the present moment, and His Promises for your future. There is no past in your future! But, don’t get overwhelmed by the future either; God has only put this day in front of you.

*Focusing on God’s Promises. If there’s one thing we must grasp it is that the Word of God is filled with supernatural power. It is a power to do immeasurably more than we can hope for! (Ephesians 3:20) Whatever you’re going through in life, God has something to say about it. AND He has made promises to us in order to give us the hope and strength we need to see us through. Along the way, He’s drawing us nearer, He’s increasing our faith, and He’s creating a steadfast spirit within us, so that we will be complete, lacking in nothing! (James 1:2-4)

*Focusing on God’s Presence. Not only is God sovereign, but He is with us at all times. With each step we take, He is there beside us. At times, He’s leading, at others He’s walking with us, and often He’s carrying us. We must have a confident assurance that God is in control and is overseeing every area of our life. We must trust that if He has allowed a trial in our life, He has found purpose in it and it is for our good. Although we might not be able to understand it all by human reasoning we need to remember that everything looks different from God’s perspective ... so we trust that He knows what He’s doing! When we don’t know what to do, we keep your eyes upon Him; confidently trusting Him to take care of us. We draw our strength from Him and remain in His presence through it all; when we do, we find ourselves walking forward in life with a faith that will never fail.