7 Ways to Strengthen Your Faith When God's Promises Seem Delayed.
Are you waiting for God’s promise to manifest in your life, but the wait feels endless? Are you struggling to maintain your faith in the face of challenges and uncertainties?
Remember, God's timing is perfect, and His delays are not denials. While you wait, it’s essential to strengthen your faith and hold onto God. Here are 7 powerful ways to do just that:
1. Realize That Sometimes, Delays are Seasons of Preparation.
Sometimes, what seems like a delay could signify one of two things:
God is either preparing your blessing (what He has in store for you), aligning people & situations to fulfill His perfect will & timing for your good OR—
God is preparing YOU for your blessing, equipping you with the wisdom and character to effectively manage and enjoy it. Waiting seasons can be incredible growth seasons, provided that we yield to the internal work of growth God is calling us to.
Sometimes, our waiting seasons last longer than they should because we are reluctant to make the changes God is prompting us to make.
2. Don’t Let Your Struggle Become Your Identity.
In difficult times, it can be easy to define and limit ourselves by our challenges. For instance, after experiencing repeated failures or disappointments, you might subconsciously begin to see yourself as a failure or lose faith that you can move past your current struggles.
The good news is that God sees not just the current chapter in our lives, but the entire book. He calls us to see ourselves as He sees us. You are not defined by your struggles; you are defined by who God says you are.
The way to see how God sees you is by regularly spending quality time with Him, frequently studying the Bible, and praying. These practices help us gain an increasingly clearer vision of God’s plans for us and receive His instructions and promises for specific situations in our lives.
Consider Abraham. Even when he had no children, God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, meaning "father of many nations." From that moment, Abraham no longer identified as a childless man; he began to see himself as God saw him—the father of multitudes, and he became that.
Similarly, if God has given you a promise or vision regarding a challenge—be it in your finances, education, business, family, marriage, or ministry—hold on to that. Keep calling yourself what God calls you and identifying with how God sees you until it comes to pass
3. Immerse Yourself in God’s Word.
Delve deeply into the Bible and repeatedly study and declare God’s promises concerning that situation until your faith is restored; let God’s word reshape how you see, feel, and speak about the challenge.
God’s word has this incredible effect: the more you read it or listen to it, the more faith grows in your heart. His word is the greatest tool you need to strengthen your faith.
Are you wondering what passages to start with? You can start with these:
—Isaiah 40:25-31 and 43:1-7
—Jeremiah 17:5-8 and
—Proverbs 3:1-8 (Read in The Amplified & TPT version)
—Mark 11:20-25
Do you struggle to understand or enjoy the Bible? Read the additional resource at the end of this article.
4. Worship God & Reflect on God's Faithfulness.
Remind yourself of God's love, greatness, and power. Acknowledge that nothing is too difficult for Him and express your adoration and wonder.
Also, remember the many times that God has been good to you and thank Him for them. Keep a journal of your faith journey where you write instances when your prayers have been answered or when God intervened in your situation.
No matter how troubling the issue is, worship God for who He is and thank Him for all the good things He has done; as you do this, you will find His peace come upon you, and you will have the confidence that God will take control of the situation. Philippians 4:4-7. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
5. Pray Without Ceasing & Keep Seeking God's Direction.
Continue to bring your requests to God and ask Him for help to keep trusting Him. Pray Until Something Happens (P.U.S.H.)
As you pray, listen for His guidance regarding your situation and be ready to follow His leading. Ask Him to align your requests with His will (See Philippians 4:4-7. Proverbs 3:1-8)
Praying is not only consistently asking God for your requests; it's also listening for His guidance as you stay in His presence and as you read His word.
6. Reach Out To Other Believers.
Seek support, counsel, & prayer from fellow Christians. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Sometimes, just one godly advice can give you the wisdom and strength you need for a difficult season or challenge.
7. Read Stories of Faith.
Look for inspiring stories of faith from believers, both past and present, who learned to trust God in difficult seasons.
You can start with this powerful story—Footprints in the Sand:
For more uplifting stories of faith get "Our Daily Bread”.
Which of these 7 tips resonated with you the most? Or do you have experiences when you were losing hope but God intervened?
Kindly share these in the comments.
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