I can count the many times that I allowed the weight of the world to be on my shoulders, causing my faith to falter. I didn’t want to pray, read scriptures, fast, or even go to church. Everything that was happening in my life, the “Spiritual Warfare” that I was going through, the storm, I had let it in…again. The Bible tells us as Christians in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (NIV).” As Christians, the one thing that we must remember at the forefront of serving God and living for God is this, we are not going to be without having our own trials and tribulations, but while being followers of Jesus Christ and facing our trials and tribulations of/in this world, we can find peace and encouragement in our faith, knowing that Jesus has already conquered the world and its powers. You may have felt like giving up, or may even still wanna give up, but I am here to tell you today, don’t give up just yet. Before you throw in that towel, remember that Jesus is the towel, so just hold on a little while longer, it is going to get better, no matter what it looks like.
If you must cry, cry, shout, then shout, break something, then break something, but don’t hurt or harm yourself or others. Amidst what seems like hardship, is just necessary, we must endure it because God knows we can endure it. If He brings us to it, He can bring us through it. He wants us to show Him that we can remain hopeful and resilient, especially in the face of adversity, and when the storm clouds clear, and we overcome our spiritual warfare, God knows that we are going to be all the stronger for it each time. John 16:33 dictates assurance and victory, reminding us as followers that Jesus has triumphed over the powers of darkness and death, and that we can share in His victory. In essence, it is a message of encouragement and comfort for us as believers, reminding us that we can find peace in our relationship with JESUS, even when we face difficulties, and that Jesus’ victory over the world provides a foundation for our faith and hope.
Our struggles, when we endure them as Christians, are not meant to be a source of despair, but rather an opportunity for reliance on God, for growth, and ultimately, joy in the face of adversity. Troubles are a part of life, but they don’t last always. In the (NIV) Bible, Psalm 30:5 states, “For his anger endureth but a moment, in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” So, see, we may weep and be sad for a night, but when the next day comes, when morning arrives, let’s rejoice, refocus, and re-shift. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (NIV) 1 John 4:4. This verse is reminding us of our victory as believers in overcoming spiritual forces of evil because of the presence of God within us. It highlights the inherent strength and confidence that comes from knowing that the one who dwells within us is greater than any external opposition. I don’t know about you, but I know that as for me, when I go stagnant, and it starts to feel like God has slipped too far away from me, I get back up and I fight. I might get down in the slumps for a while, but I refuse to stay there. We fall short of God’s glory every day, but who says that we must stay there? Getting back up, this takes strength and faith. It’s this that will always make the devil mad. We aren’t perfect. We are going to falter from time to time in our faith and on our walk with Jesus. He knows this. Some may sin within their faltering, some may not, just never forget to REPENT of your sins daily. I am not saying here that it’s okay to sin on purpose and then yeah, just go repent, no, not at all, but what I am saying is that we’re human and our flesh sometimes gets weak and “Spiritual Warfare” is a real thing, therefore, we must guard our spirits and put on the full armor of God, so we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6: 10-18 NIV).
I found that many days I had to shake off, close my ears to, and detach myself from doubt, stress, depression, confusion, lies, sexual immorality, lust, gossip, judgment, drama, despair, and discouragement. Want to know how I did this? For every falter, for every stagnation, came an endurance like no other, I gained strength upon strength in the Lord and clarity like I never could have imagined, which put me in a position to crave Him more, His love, His voice, His approval, and His comfort, rendering me to read His word, study and memorize passages, pray more fervently (for others more than myself) fellowship, share my testimonies and truths, fast, and tithe. So, it’s okay if you falter in your faith. Don’t beat yourself up and don’t allow the next person to either. Just remind yourself that you must get back up, refocus and re-shift. Don’t stay down and don’t get turned completely back around to where and what God has delivered you from. You do have a purpose, and you are somebody. You still do matter. You are loved (unconditionally) and you are cared about. God hasn’t forgotten about you. Until next time folks, stay safe, stay prayed up, and stay blessed!!
