Durable FaithShembull

Define and Defend

So you’re in a difficult situation. Or maybe everything’s fine, but you just have doubts. You’ve stretched. Now what? When does the good stuff come? Like the stuff you read about in James yesterday about becoming complete and lacking nothing? 

Maybe it’s time to define and defend. 

Watch this video from Alison, a friend of The Loop Show, for more on how to work through the stretching of your faith. 

Once you’ve prayed and read and asked for wisdom, stop the stretch. Come to an end and define what you learned. Take a moment to look back at what God was trying to teach you. 

Tests and stretching can teach you things like:

• How to lean on God for strength.
• I can be braver than I thought. 
• I really can trust God. 
• I can find peace even in the middle of a difficult situation. 
• God is always, always with me. 
• God had a different plan than I did, and His plan was actually better! 

When you clarify what God has shown you in your searching, that experience can guard you against similar challenges. When you define what you learned from one season of testing and stretching, you can use that to defend your faith when the next test comes! Think of it like this: Testing gives you a reason to be less afraid of the next test. 

Ask yourself: What’s the biggest thing I’ve learned from something that tested or stretched my faith? How could that learning help me face similar challenges, doubts, or struggles in the future? 

Challenge yourself: Grab a sheet of paper and something to draw with. In the middle of the paper, write the word FAITH. Around the word, draw pictures of reasons why you have faith in God or write words that remind you of your faith in God. When you’re done, hang the drawing somewhere that you’ll see it daily. 

Pray: God, thank You for giving faith the ability to stretch and strengthen. Thank You for making my faith stronger when I have questions, not weaker. Thank You for teaching me because You love me. Help me to believe in Your goodness every day for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.