How to Cope When Your Faith is Shaken
Have you ever experienced a time in your life when your faith in God was challenged? In today’s culture, this is happening far too often. We have many prominent Christian leaders and influencers renouncing their faith or denying truths found in God’s Word. So how does this happen? Can you prevent it from happening? How do you cope when your faith is shaken?
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He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. – Psalm 62:6
When the enemy attacks you emotionally…
The enemy loves to attack our emotions… to make us feel things that we shouldn’t be feeling. Loneliness, fear, rejection, offense, bitterness, anger… our emotions are powerful and effect us in so many ways. Yes, we will naturally feel various emotions depending on our circumstances. It’s natural to feel alone sometimes or to be afraid. The problem is when the enemy uses these emotions to negatively guide our thoughts, our actions, and our decisions. Instead of taking these emotions to God, the enemy wants you to live and breathe them until you begin to question your faith entirely.
When the enemy attacks you physically…
Chronic illness is on the rise, and I personally know many fellow Believers who struggle with varying physical issues. For them, it’s a daily struggle to wake up every morning trusting God to sustain them through their day. Now, I personally believe that God is our healer. And even when we don’t see our healing right away, the Bible calls us to pray for healing and to continue to believe in prayer for what God has promised us. But that doesn’t mean the enemy won’t try to use our physical health to shake our faith. Does God care about your health issue? Why would He allow you to suffer?
While I can’t answer some of these more difficult questions, I do know that it is NOT God’s will for us to be sick. He died on the cross to make us whole. But He can and will use what the enemy meant for harm for His purpose and glory.
When the enemy attacks your theology…
This may seem like an odd one to include, but I see it all too often… especially with those of us who have been Christians for a majority of our lives. As a child, I was taught the truth about God and His Word. I never once doubted it as a kid. But once I got older, my theology was challenged in ways that really shook my faith. The enemy attacks our theology when he causes us to doubt the validity of the Bible, God’s character, or even the spiritual truths stated in God’s Word.
When the enemy attacks your identity…
Perhaps one of the most common (and most harmful) ways the enemy shakes our faith is through our identity. When we begin to doubt who we are in Christ, we become ineffective for the Kingdom of God. Yes, we were lost. Yes, we were sinful and broken. But now, we are a new creation… God’s masterpiece! Anything is possible when we are walking in our new God-given identities. The enemy knows this, which is why he strives to keep us in a place of thinking poorly of ourselves. He wants you to believe that nothing has changed when, in fact, everything has changed.
I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely. – Psalm 16:8-9
When your faith is shaken, rest in the truth of who God is and who He has created you to be.
Here’s the truth: The enemy WILL try to shake your faith. He will find your weak spots and plan his attack. And usually it’s subtle so you don’t see it coming.)
But when it happens, rest in the truth. Stand firm. And stay rooted in the Word and in the body of Christ. Because in Christ… you cannot be shaken.
*Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
**Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
