Dear Readers,
Whatever this year may look like for you in your unique situation, I want to remind you of the most powerful defense and profound comfort of all; simply talking with God.
When life feels uncertain or confusing, our faith in Jesus Christ becomes an anchor that holds us steady amidst the trials of life. It is during these times that our relationship with Him becomes even more vital and significant. This article explores practical ways to strengthen your faith in Jesus.
Prayer is vital to the life of a Christian, but sometimes, something so personal can be overlooked. I’ve dedicated an entire article to this beautiful connection we have to our Savior and included ways to get started if your prayer life hasn’t been very strong lately, or maybe ever.
It’s simple, it’s powerful, and it’s the first thing we should do not just in trying times.
Let’s talk about what to do in tough situations and how prayer will help.
1. Seek His Presence Through Prayer: When faced with troubles, turn to prayer to connect with God. Spend time daily in prayer, pouring out your heart, fears, and concerns to Him. Seek His guidance, wisdom, and peace. Allow His presence to bring comfort and assurance as you place your trust in Him. Remember, God is not just our Comforter, our Mighty Counselor, and Lord of all, but He is our Father. He loves His children and wants a real, dynamic, intimate relationship with us. That means forgoing the formalities of being ‘perfect’ or knowing what to say to Him. Just share what’s on your heart.
Spoiler alert: He already knows what you need and what you’re going to say, but He wants to hear it from you.
Some may feel unsure about how to pray, so here are a few tips.
Pray in private. Jesus said, "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6). This doesn't mean you can't pray with other people, (which is incredibly powerful!), but it does mean that your prayer should be a personal conversation with God, not a performative act.
Pray in the Spirit. Paul said, "I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also" (1 Corinthians 14:15). This means that we should pray both with our hearts and with our minds. There can also be times when we can’t find any words at all, but God hears us. We should let our emotions flow out in prayer, but we should also be able to articulate our thoughts and desires to God. Sometimes answered prayers are swift! But, be prepared to wait. This is part of obedience and trusting His plan for your life, even when it seems like God doesn’t hear us. Remember that as a Father, His ways are best and we don’t always know what’s best for us. He does. Trust Him. Unanswered prayers can also be a blessing. We must believe our Father knows what is best for our lives.
It’s vital to remember that we live in a fallen world. God should never be blamed for things that happen that you prayed about (illness, death, poverty, etc). Instead, He is powerful enough to use the circumstances we face to work all things together for His glory. Jesus came down to experience our harsh reality in the flesh and He didn’t snap his fingers and make it all go away.
Do you remember what He did? He bore it all. He suffered with us. Then, He defeated it. Every illness, every anxiety, every evil. He defeated death and destroyed the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). So even when we can’t understand why we face the trials we face, and sometimes it might feel as if our struggles will overcome us, I encourage you to invite the One who has overcome the world to bear with you and lead you to still waters. (Psalm 23).
Pray with faith. Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24). This includes asking for things within His will for our lives. It can be prayers for peace, safety, or comfort. This doesn't mean that we should always get what we pray for, but it does mean that we should pray with the faith that God will answer our prayers. He is faithful and good. He knows when we’re sincere in our faith. Remember, the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. The inverse is true as well, the tiniest amount of doubt can erode our faith.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Pray with thanksgiving. Paul said, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We should always be thankful to God for all that He has done for us. When we thank Him for all the blessings in our lives, it helps us to focus on God's goodness and to remember His love for us. This does not only apply to the physical provisions and blessings He has given us, but also be diligent in giving thanks for the mighty work He is doing behind the scenes that we do not, and may never, see.
Pray with a humble heart. James said, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (James 1:5). We should approach God with a humble heart. Prayer is not a laundry list of complaints or a wishlist of desires. It’s a conversation from a child to their Heavenly Father. The pride of life, as John called it, keeps us from God. The Pharisees prayed, but their hearts were proud and they earned the rebuke of Jesus Christ Himself. Humble repentance is the foundation of a relationship with Jesus. A believer desires to be molded into the image of our Father and to be rich in humility as Jesus described Himself as ‘lowly in heart’ or ‘humble’ (Matthew 11:29).
Pray for others. Jesus said, "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." (Luke 6:28). This might feel a bit difficult to do, but prayer also includes praying for our enemies or those who have wronged us. We should not only pray for our own needs, but we should also pray for the needs of others. Jesus knew this was a difficult task, but one made easier through the power of the Holy Spirit and the desire to obey that comes with it.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus challenges us to extend grace and forgiveness not only to those we love but to those we do not love as a means of separating believers from those who are just ‘good people’.
The most important thing is to be sincere and to have a genuine heart for God. It’s not about the words you speak, or think, it’s about what emotions, need, or gratitude those words are conveying.
2. Immerse Yourself in the Word: The Bible is a source of many things, such as strength, encouragement, and guidance. Make it a priority to study God's Word regularly, focusing on His promises and teachings. Dive deep into the Scriptures to find comfort, hope, and direction. As you familiarize yourself with His Word, you will discover that it provides a firm foundation to build and strengthen your faith. If you’re not much of reader, give listening to the Bible a try!
Life will always be full of strife, disappointment, fear, pain, loneliness, and confusion. The difference between a believer and a non-believer is not an easy, carefree life. It is the difference between navigating the trials of life alone or not.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)
3. Surround Yourself with Encouragement Through Fellow Believers: While sharing the Gospel with those who do not yet believe is important, it’s also important to surround yourself with those who understand and encourage your faith. This can look many different ways depending on your unique life circumstances, but fellowship with other believers is important and can provide tremendous support during times of uncertainty, as well as offer encouragement, accountability, and prayer.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for those who do not have a church they feel comfortable attending, or with views that differ from organized mainstream religion, to find fellowship and community. It’s important not to isolate yourself. If you have yet to find fellow believers you can turn to, look up to, and learn from, pray about it! Ask God to send you the people He wants in your life, and where you can be used to glorify Him as well.
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 ESV)
4. Recall God's Faithfulness: Reflect on the faithfulness of God in your life and in the lives of those around you. Recall the times when He has provided, protected, and guided you through difficult circumstances. Remembering His faithfulness in the past will strengthen your trust in His sovereignty over the present and future. This can also mean reflecting on all of the things he saved you from. All of the unseen accidents, injuries, heartbreak, etc that He steered you away from that were blessings in disguise. It’s important to thank Him for the work He does out of sight as well. He is our faithful Father who loves us and wants what’s best for us, and sometimes that means being refined by fire, or difficulties and hardships. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)
5. Serve Others: To the world, it’s ‘popular’ to serve others during these winter months, but a follower of Jesus does not need one month to show their desire to serve others. One way to strengthen your faith is to serve others selflessly. Look for opportunities to extend a helping hand, offer words of encouragement, or simply lend a listening ear.
You might think I’m referring to strangers or those in our community, but serving others begins in the home. Evaluate how you speak to your spouse, siblings, children, parents, etc. Those immediate relationships should also encourage us to grow to be like our Savior because it can be difficult at times to choose loving words and actions when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or feeling resentful.
We can’t neglect serving those closest to us in favor of serving strangers.
Good works won’t bribe God. But having the Holy Spirit produces good fruit, and those show up in acts of selflessness and service amongst other things. Serving others looks different to different folks in their own unique circumstances, personalities, and abilities, and they’re all valuable.
Remember that the power of Christ is transformative in all aspects of life, not just those reserved for strangers who don’t know our history and life that well. You are a continual creation being molded into the person God intended you to be, so allow Him to work on your heart first before wishing He would work on the hearts of others.
As you pour out love and compassion, you will experience the joy of being the hands and feet of Jesus, as a member of the Body of Christ. Serving others not only strengthens your faith but also reminds you of the unchanging and unwavering love of Jesus Christ.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10 ESV)
6. Cultivate a Spirit of Gratitude: Gratitude is a powerful antidote to fear and uncertainty.
Gratitude and anxiety cannot coexist. (Source)
Remember to praise and thank God for His goodness, even in the midst of uncertainty, and ask Him for clarity and to guide you according to His will. Taking time each day to intentionally ‘count your blessings’ and express gratitude to God is powerful! If you like to write, keep a journal! Acknowledge His provision, His love, and the gifts He has bestowed upon you. A heart filled with gratitude not only strengthens your faith but also allows you to appreciate the countless ways God is working in your life.
“Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 106:1 ESV)
As we navigate through the uncertainties of life, let us hold fast to our faith in Jesus Christ as fellow brothers and sisters. By seeking His presence, sharing our fears with Him in prayer, immersing ourselves in His Word, connecting with other believers, recalling His faithfulness, serving others, and cultivating gratitude and worship, we can strengthen our faith and find unwavering hope in Him.
If you have a prayer request, please feel free to comment below. Let’s support each other!
Thank you for reading,
Alexandra
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What a poignant, proper, and beautiful article this is! I love it when I may be expecting something else from you and then you surprise us with a wonderful "bonus", as we start our day! I especially LOVE that this is essentially about communication with God through good & bad times and relationship building (why I said "proper"), & not about "the power of prayer" as people forget: that "power".. IS God & without God there is nothing! Even as I practice exactly what you write here, it still stirs up emotions thinking about the amazing relationship and open line of communication God has given us! This article is also an answer to my prayers for you as well; as I always pray for you, that the Father continually "supplies" you with inspiration, protection, & energy to do the superb, delicate, and intricate work that you are SO amazingly proficient at! He knows how much you help, inspire, comfort & inform others and help prime their mind & spirits to seek the Lord! I could not be more grateful for you & to be able to be on this journey to eternity with you! God bless you and all who read this! ..and even those who do not lol ;) <3
"Jesus came down to experience our harsh reality in the flesh and He didn’t snap his fingers and make it all go away."
Oh yea THAT!
When ppl have asked me in the past "If God is "all powerful" why doesnt He just "fix" everything or "snap His fingers to fix everything" (as we've ALL been asked provokingly by non believers), I just say "If you caught someone doing something to betray you and had the ability to "snap you fingers/go back in time" and make the deceit "not happen".. it STILL would have happened!
God "snapping His fingers and fixing everything" would have been to simply destroy the world outright..but He loved us enough to give us a way out! Amen! :)
Thank You, for all you do. I so look forward to your emails every so often. I wish I had the articulation you have. I have a lot of trouble trying to get my point across to others. What's in my head doesn't seem to come out of my mouth. I pray for understanding His Word, and that the words would come in a way that is more convincing. Sometimes I just don't sound very intelligent. Things have been so much more peaceful and calm since I express my gratefulness for all He has done for me. My home, food, health, etc. My anxiety and worry has greatly diminished. I know He is in control, and all I need is patience. Again Thank You for your uplifting words. I look forward to your next article or video. Mark