Wavering faith
Just like an ocean wave that crashes to the shore and then goes back out to sea, our faith in God can also come near and seem to grow distant in seasons. As every one of us knows, life isn’t always easy or fun. We all go through times of darkness and hardship, and keeping our faith from wavering during these trials and tribulations can be difficult. However, the testing of our faith provides us with the unique opportunity for spiritual growth. Here are some things that you should know about wavering faith.
6 things you should know about wavering faith:
God doesn’t say that we will live perfect lives. In fact, He says that all of us will go through times of difficulty. The Bible doesn’t shy away from the realness of life — many people in the Bible experienced hardship and wavering faith. “Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner” (1 Peter 4:12-13 MSG).
Jesus was human, and He went through difficult times too. If the King of kings went through trials during his time on Earth, why wouldn’t we? He knows what it’s like to go through trials, which should give us hope. “When that happens, remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them” (John 15:20 MSG).
The trials and tribulations that we go through help us build spiritual endurance and strength. God works all things for the good — that means that when we go through hard times, He is still with us. Without difficulty in life, there would be no true spiritual endurance or strength. “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2-4 MSG).
Hard times can help us learn how to trust God. When trials come, we often can’t depend on ourselves. Our spiritual weakness is often exposed when we lose our dependency on ourselves. We need something else other than ourselves to cling to, something else to give us hope. When we have nothing else left and our faith wavers, God will always be there; placing our trust in Him is one of the best choices we can ever make. “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans” (Romans 8:26 MSG).
We aren’t perfect, and we shouldn’t pretend to be. Struggles with faith are so common and they don’t make us any less of a Christian. God’s grace for us is so much deeper and wider than we could ever imagine — what a hope we have in Him! “And then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG).
Going through a time of testing is not a punishment. God doesn’t use trials to punish us for sinning. In fact, He often uses spiritual testing so that our hope and strength in Him is magnified. “At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off big-time, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God” (Hebrews 12:11 MSG).
What’s the bottom line about wavering faith?
Times of testing are an opportunity for growth in our spiritual endurance and strength, not a punishment from God. We have a Savior whom we can place our trust and hope in, even when life gets difficult. He will never leave us or forsake us, even when we feel alone. The struggles of today don’t compare to the glory of Christ and our future in Him. Wavering faith isn’t always a bad thing.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. And every journey needs a Starting Point.
Starting Point groups are in-person, stress-free and judgment-free groups that meet periodically at Centerpoint Church. Here, you can spend some time getting to know fellow group members, reading and having an open conversation about topics like God, the Scriptures, faith, and Jesus. Completely new to the teachings of Jesus? Returning to church after a long break? Questioning the teachings you were brought up with or just unsure what you believe? Our Starting Point groups are here to help you navigate your faith journey. Get in touch with us to learn when the next Starting Point group is meeting or to join a Starting Point group.