How to Handle the Crossroads of LifeSýnishorn

Faith Crisis

What do I mean by a faith crisis? It is an event in our life where we can't seem to justify the goodness of God with the circumstances we are going through. There is a gap and disconnect between the promises of God and the hand life has dealt us.

When I was 16, my grandmother passed away. I remember when they broke the news to me. Still very young in my walk with God at the time, I went to my room praying that God should please wake Grandma up. I told God I had plans to reward her for all she had done for me. I even tried to cut a deal with God. "If you keep Grandma alive, I will serve you for the rest of my life." I guessed we've all been in situations where we tried to cut a deal with God.

I remembered saying, “God, please don’t let Grandma die. I love her so much.” Well, my granny didn't wake up, and I won't see her again until we meet in eternity.

For quite some time, I found it difficult to reconcile the idea of a loving God and Him taking away our loved ones. Honestly, this was a critical point in my faith journey, and at the time, it left many questions unanswered. It took me time to adjust to the reality of our mortality as humans and the idea that death is not necessarily a punishment from God nor a test of faith, but rather a passage to the afterlife.

Think of Job; at the height of his pain, Job challenged God's justice. The sequence of the attack was brutal. The pain was so unbearable that his wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:9). Job was at a threshold, a breaking point, but instead of cursing God, he cursed the day he was born.

As Christians, we are not immune or insulated from the painful experiences of life. Life will take us to a breaking point irrespective of our faith profession. There will be experiences that will shake your faith and test your resolve. But when we get to this crossroads, what should we do?

Firstly, remember what the Bible says in Psalm 34:18-20

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!”

Knowing fully well that God is with you through the ups and downs of life brings a sense of peace and strength in those difficult times. Sometimes, we also find solace in friends and families. Certain events in our life will not make sense and life will not necessarily take it easy on you because you gave your life to Christ, but remember, God has promised never to leave nor forsake you.

Beloved, when the days are tough, keep the faith. When you have more questions than answers, keep the faith. When things aren't going as planned, keep the faith. When all hope seems lost, keep the faith. And when you come to the crossroad of pain, keep the faith.