Title: Struggling with Faith?

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Mathew 28:16-17

Devotion: Struggling with faith in God is a common experience, and it’s important to remember that you’re not alone in this journey. We see in the passage above that even among the disciples who lived with Jesus, touched him, ate with him some still doubted Him. 

  In the Bible, it’s not just Thomas who doubted, everyone did! Adam, Eve(Genesis 3:1- end), Abraham(Gen 15:7-21), Sarah(Gen.18:12), Moses(Exodus 3:11), David(1Samuel 27:1), Elijah(1King 19: 1-18), John the Baptist(Matthew 11:3; Luke 7: 19), and the list goes on. They all were doubters. Even Jesus’ family thought He was crazy(John 7:5). All the disciples ran away in doubt, not just Thomas, even Peter and the others went back to their fishing(John 21:3-19) profession which  signified their unbelief.

  There are many reasons why someone might struggle with their faith, and understanding these reasons can help you navigate through them. Here are some common factors:

Personal Loss or Trauma: Experiencing significant loss or trauma can shake your faith, making it difficult to reconcile the pain with the belief in a loving God.

Unanswered Prayers: When prayers seem to go unanswered, it can lead to feelings of doubt and frustration.

Intellectual Doubts: Engaging with different philosophies or scientific explanations can sometimes create conflicts with religious beliefs.

Moral or Ethical Dilemmas: Witnessing or experiencing hypocrisy or misconduct within religious institutions can erode trust and faith.

Lack of Personal Experience: Not having personal spiritual experiences or feeling disconnected from God can make faith feel distant.

Cultural or Societal Influences: Societal pressures and cultural shifts can also impact your beliefs and how you perceive your faith.

It’s important to approach these struggles with compassion for yourself.

Here are a few steps that might help:

Talk to Someone: Sharing your thoughts with a trusted elder in faith, mentor, or counselor can provide support and new perspectives.

Engage with Your Faith Community: Connecting with others who share your faith can offer encouragement and understanding. Attend bible teaching church, relate with faith preachers.

Reflect and Pray: Spend time in reflection and prayer, even if it feels difficult. Sometimes, simply being open about your doubts can be a step towards finding clarity.

Seek Knowledge: Reading your bible, exploring theological discussions on patriarchs of faith, learn about how they navigate and succeed in faith journey.  Learning more about your faith can help address intellectual doubts.

Jesus is with you: In Matthew 28: 18;20 Jesus literally told the disciples to go! You doubters, go. Go tell the world the good news about me, the very news you're doubting with your own eyes right now. I know it seems too good to be true. So, get up and go, doubters. I’ll go with you. As you go to share about me with others, you’ll find your own doubts being healed. You’ll have new doubts along the way, I’ll be with you in those too, standing right in front of you. Here we see that when Jesus is with you your doubt disappears. Remember he promised to send the counselor, his spirit known as Holy Spirit. When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit in the upper room they started doing great exploits for God. You too can reach that point. Take the necessary step of total obedience, know the word of God and ask for Holy Spirit. Once you have it your faith will not shake again.

Remember, faith is a journey, and it’s okay to have questions and doubts along the way but once filled with the Holy Spirit your doubt disappears.

How are you feeling about your faith right now? Share your thoughts and concerns with us at gbemide09@gmail.com or through WhatsApp or messenger where you received this message. Please help someone share this devotional with your contacts.

By Dr Joel Olanrewaju.