The Beautiful Struggle of Faith

 

The Beautiful Struggle of Faith

By Christiana Olamide

In a world where everyone wants the best for themselves, no one wants to be left behind when it feels like others are getting ahead. Everyone desires to be associated with the best because, somehow, it’s tied to our self-esteem.

Man is mostly driven by sight, because in the natural world, sight gives assurance of things to come. “As long as I’ve seen it happen, then it will definitely happen.” Yet, man does not naturally understand what it means to believe when it doesn’t look like it.

We tend to be logical in everything we do — and while logic can be helpful, sometimes it makes faith look senseless, especially when it concerns the things of God.

Faith Was Never Logical

The life of faith, from the standpoint of salvation, was never logical. We can’t explain how possible it is to be born of the Spirit in a logical form. We can’t describe how possible it is to be given the nature of God at salvation.

Yet, we believe that we have truly received the life of Christ and have been joined with Him.

The life of Christian faith makes no sense to the natural man , but we have the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth, interpreting the mind of God to us and helping us believe that God is real.

Life began in faith, continues in faith, and will end in faith. The Bible says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” The whole summation of a Christian’s life is faith, and faith, when exercised, makes no sense to the natural man.

God takes us through this journey not to box us, but to build us , to lead us into His mind. Faith makes it possible for us to experientially know God, in a way that can never be taken away from us.

When God Takes the Wheel

Faith is a muscle to be trained, and on this journey, we are being trained to become men and women of faith.

At the beginning, it’s not always easy, because even though we’ve received the life of Christ, we still live in this body , one that loves to be logical, that likes to be informed ahead of time.

Naturally, I don’t like to be caught unawares. I like to always be in control of my life. That’s why sometimes I find myself planning and planning without even stopping to ask God if He approves of it.

I go ahead with my plans, and along the way, I face difficulties I can’t bear. Then I feel like I’ve failed, and my self-esteem drops, thinking I can’t do anything right. But each time, God reminds me of His lordship over my life.

He says,

 “Christiana, you go on to plan without stopping to ask if that’s what I want you to do at the time. You’ve forgotten you gave Me charge over your life by accepting My lordship. How does it make Me feel when you don’t let Me take the wheel?”

Each time, I feel so sorry and I repent.

His Presence in the Challenges

Someone might think that once God takes control, there will be no more difficulties. I thought that too. But the opposite is true.

God taking control of our lives doesn’t mean the absence of challenges or fear. It means His presence in the midst of them.

I’ve had seasons where God was intentionally silent,  not because He hated me or wanted me to suffer, but because He was building me.

The Bible says, “Do not despise the correction of God,” for He only corrects those He loves. It also says, “It is only the sick that need a doctor.”

This taught me that man always needs correction — not just when he does something obviously wrong, but even in his daily living. Man is naturally sick without God, and he always needs the Doctor,  God Himself.

One of the ways God heals and grows us is by taking us through seasons of faith, so we can live a life pleasing to Him.

The Journey Is Not Easy, But It’s Beautiful

The journey of faith can be a struggle, but it’s beautiful in the end. There are things we may never know about God unless we go through these things.

God wants to walk with man, not to confine him, but to help him live the life he was originally created for. But that life only comes by faith, not by sight.

Our enemy knows how powerful faith is. He knows that with faith as small as a mustard seed, mountains can move. So, he tries to make us doubt by making us overthink and try to “make sense” of things that only faith can birth.

But haven’t you wondered?

If faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, how much can faith as big as a mountain move?

That’s the goal of growth. God doesn’t want us to stop at the seed level ,He wants our faith to become mighty enough to move worlds. That’s why we’re stretched, trained, and corrected by Him, to bring out the best in us.

The Price of Faith

Abraham lived a life of faith. It wasn’t easy, but it was beautiful.

He waited years for the child God promised him, obeyed God to sacrifice that same child, and left his father’s house for a land he had never seen.

None of it was easy, but it built him. Abraham’s life came with a price, the price of faith.

Jesus, our perfect model, lived the same way. So did Paul and many others.

Encouragement for You Today

I encourage you today:

Joyfully live the life of faith. Don’t run from it. It’s not always easy, but it’s beautiful in the end.

Look at Jesus, because of the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. Endurance is a fruit of the Spirit.

Faith doesn’t just appear suddenly; it’s a journey where you are trained as you remain willing and open to God

Final Thought:

Faith will always lead you closer to the heart of God. 💫


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