Circumstances That Challenge Our Faith

What do we do when our view of God and our circumstances disagree?  What do we do when we believe God is good, but we are suffering?  We have to ask upon what we are basing our perspective?  Are we looking to our circumstances to confirm our view of God, or do we trust God regardless of our outward circumstances?  ​If we allow it, our circumstances can cloud our view of God.  But faith holds us to Him as our constant, a surety, our steadfast anchor in the storm.  Faith fastens us to the Truth.  God is good ALL the time.  God is faithful ALL the time.  His promises do not waver.  He is holding you during the difficult times.

Securely placing our faith in the true God (as He really is according to Scripture), doesn’t mean our circumstances will suddenly change or make sense.  We have a very limited, temporary perspective.  How can we possibly understand the ways of God?  Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  God has an eternal perspective and never makes mistakes!

Guaranteed, our circumstances will rarely confirm or support our faith.  But our faith is all we can hold onto when nothing else makes sense.  When your faith is challenged by your circumstances, do not doubt!  Still hold onto faith, which is eternal, and wait for the fleeting, ever changing, temporary circumstances to pass.  Never exchange your faith for a more comfortable, palatable view of God!

How do you get through hardships when your faith is challenged and questioned?  Simply, CLING—HOLD—TRUST.  Choose faith; banish doubt.  Don’t allow the temporary reality of your circumstances dictate what you perceive as true.  Let the eternal immutability of God and His faithfulness determine Truth. 

Faith and hope are inexplicably linked.  I challenge you regarding where your hope is?  Is your hope in maintaining control over your circumstances or is it choosing to believe that God holds it all, including your circumstances in His perfect, loving, Sovereign hands?  Your ONLY way through trials is placing your trust in Christ.  Place your confidence and faith in Him.  You can try enduring on your own strength, wit and resources, but I assure you, you will eventually fail.  At some point, you will tire and crumble.  God never calls us to endure trials on our own strength!  Dear Friend, do not push away the hand that desires to strengthen and lift you up!  I have experienced firsthand refusing His hand.  Oh what unspeakable misery!  I want to spare you that agony.  

​As scary as trusting Jesus might seem, I encourage you to place your faith Him.  He is ever ready to hold and sustain you.  The question is will you allow Him to hold you?  Are you ready to trust in His character even when you don’t understand?  Are you ready to rest in His Will even when you cannot see where the road leads?  Are you ready to fully trust and place your complete faith in Him?  

J. Hudson Taylor said, “It matters not how great the pressure is, only where the pressure lies.  As long as the pressure does not come between me and my Savior, but presses me to Him, then the greater the pressure, the greater my dependence upon Him.”  See the hardships as opportunities to draw closer to Christ.  You will never be disappointed when you place your faith in Christ!  BeStrong!