Struggles as Christians: How we overcome. (Part one)
Life’s struggles
Life is full of struggles, and as Christians, we are not exempt from struggles. In fact, our faith often calls us to face trials with courage and trust in God. But what does it feel like to struggle as a Christian? These posts explore the raw, honest emotions and experiences of facing difficulties while holding onto faith.
Feeling Spiritually Dry or Distant
Struggles come in many forms—financial hardships, health issues, broken relationships, or even spiritual doubts that challenge our faith and convictions. As Christians, we sometimes feel the pressure to appear strong and unwavering, as if we must always put on a brave face to reflect our beliefs.
However, the truth is, we all have moments of weakness, times when our faith feels as fragile as a thread and our burdens seem too heavy to bear. During these difficult seasons, it’s essential to remember that vulnerability is not a sign of defeat, but rather an opportunity for growth.
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God…” – Psalm 42:5
It’s in these quiet valleys that we often feel most distant from God. It’s like our prayers echo back unanswered, or Scripture feels hollow despite our efforts. In these moments, silence pervades our hearts. The weight of the world presses down on our shoulders. We may find ourselves questioning our faith and the very essence of our connection to the divine.
Elijah’s struggles mimic ours.
Elijah knew this firsthand when he was hiding from Queen Jezebel. (I Kings 19:9-18). He knew his life was over, but God spoke to him quietly and gently.
Elijah was rescued.
Just like Elijah, each breath we take can be a testament to resilience. We slowly recognize God’s presence that surrounds us. He urges us on to embrace our struggles as part of a greater journey toward healing and understanding.
In these moments of desperation, a flicker of hope urges us to seek the light in the shadows. The very act of searching for that light can lead us to a deeper understanding of faith. Consequently, our struggles become a pathway to greater strength and resilience.
Struggles lead to deeper insight.
The stillness can be deafening, and it often leads us into a deeper exploration of our innermost thoughts and vulnerabilities. In moments of quiet, we find that our minds can wander freely, unearthing feelings and memories. We may have long buried these beneath the noise of everyday life. Yet, it is precisely in these valleys that we are allowed to reflect.
We seek meaning in our struggles and to understand the lessons that our experiences impart. But it is in these valleys that we can rediscover the gentle whispers of hope that can guide us through the darkness. Pats will be illuminated that we might not have noticed before.
As we navigate these terrains, we discover not just our fears but also the resilience within us. This enables us to rise above and emerge stronger.
Real-Life Reflection:
Sarah, a devoted believer, went through a season where her faith felt dry. She attended church, served faithfully, read her Bible—but inside, she felt spiritually parched. She had been a Christian a long time, but now felt as though she was taking steps backward.
Sarah went through the motions, but nothing helped. One evening, she was overcome with despair. She hadn’t prayed much for months, but now found herself on her knees, tearfully admitting for the first time Lord, I believe… but I feel nothing.”
Over time, gentle reminders surfaced—a comforting verse, a friend. After a few months, Sarah found her way back to God. She now knew the hope described in Psalm 42:5, “Why, my soul, are you so downcast?….Put your hope in God.”
Sometimes we have to go through the desert before we find the life-giving water.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever had to talk to your soul?
- What scriptures spoke to you the most?
- How would you encourage others going through a dry spell?
((I am re-posting this because I ended up writing a series of posts, of which this is the first one.)
Related posts
-
a sudden fall
Sometimes we stumble into a hole and we have no clue why we didn’t see it coming. Our moods have plummeted and we can’t for the life of us figure out why. It’s as though someone pulled a plug and all of our “well feeling” was sucked out. It’s at these times we get so scared Read more
-
Wherever you go, there you are!
The above is the title of a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It’s suggests that if you are,harried, always in a rush, and disorganized, look to your mind first, not your external circumstances. Stress almost always starts within us rather than outside us.We don’t have a whole lot of choice sometimes about what goes on around Read more
-
cleaning my closets
Today I had a marathon closet cleaning. It’s been a long time since I’ve cleaned it. I was appalled. I found items I didn’t even know I had. How about twenty black tanks! That’s embarrassing. I have a couple of boxes full of clothes ready to head to Goodwill or our local rescue mission. I Read more
-
my hero
This is easy for me. I chose my husband. I’m sure there are many women who share my sentiment about their own husbands. But this is my blog so I guess I can honor whomever I choose. Right? 🙂 Not only has he stood by me through my episodes of depression; he never criticized or judged Read more
-
sick and tired of congress and their egos
Are you as sick and tired of Congress as I am? Actually, I don’t even have to ask. I don’t know anyone who feels otherwise. What job do you know where you can not show up and still get paid? What job do you know where “blah, blah, blah” sounds intelligent? What job do Read more
-
creativity and letting go
This has been a tiring day. Got up early and headed to my mom’s. Husband cleaned out her shed and we hauled some drywall, insulation and some lumber back to our house. She had fixed “Chili Mac”(kind of like goulash) the day before but it didn’t turn out very good so I “doctored” it for Read more
Discover more from goodthoughtsgoodlives
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
