Christian Smack

Has anyone told you just what your faith should look like in a difficult time? Or maybe gave you a trite Christian phrase when you were struggling with doubt? Just believe. Just accept his love. Just walk by faith, not by sight.

When I went through a rocky period last year, I had the impression that I had a serious problem if I needed to build up my faith or work through some doubts…that if my faith were really true, then I would be walking tall. The thinking goes something like this: Sure, there are terrible things that happen, but you can direct your emotions and circumstances if you simply believe what the word of God tells you about the finished work of Christ. Just call on the name of Jesus and he will give you abundant joy. But all that thinking ever did for me was make me feel smaller, weaker, and more detached from the rest of the world that seemed to get it, while I was totally missing the boat and sinking deeper into despair.

I think this “Christian smack” is what Proverbs 25:20 is talking about when it recommends against singing songs to a a heavy heart. It’s like:

• taking away a coat on a cold winter day
• pouring acid on a wound

We live in a broken world. The bible is filled with examples of suffering, times of struggle. times of doubt and wavering, and thorns in the flesh. But it is also full of a God-is-able-and-present-with-you message that tells us to hold onto God’s word and recite its life-giving, faith-building truth to ourselves.

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 gives us The Lord’s specific commands for intentionally developing good habits around the word of God in our everyday lives: Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the heavens are above the earth, your days and those of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your fathers.

Notice the word imprint and the command to be speaking the word of God everywhere you are. This is going to be something we will do every day of our lives to ensure we keep our eyes on The Lord in this hostile territory. To make sure we keep truth at the front of our thinking, and not allow it to slip into the backseat. Never-mind trials and adversity — we live in a world that is driving focus inward and towards pleasure and gratification. We must make intentional efforts to imprint God’s truth in every area, in every role, in every moment of our lives. To “let it ride” is to choose to fail.

David preached to himself during times of struggle in numerous Psalms…here are four of my favorites:

• Psalm 27:13-14: Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
• Psalm 42:6: When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you.
• Psalm 59:9-10: I will keep watch for you, My Strength, because God is my stronghold. My faithful God will come to meet me; God will let me look down on my adversaries.
• Psalm 63:5-8: Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.

Paul spoke often of his weaknesses, and how he depended on the Lord for strength and provision and satisfaction of his needs. We didn’t see Paul deriding the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Philippians, the Ephesians, the Colossians, or Timothy or Titus for struggling through suffering or doubt. We see him encouraging, praying for, and supporting these people. Here is what he said about his own struggle with weakness:

Therefore, so I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

If we were already perfect, and our faith and trust and endurance without any wavering, then God would not send trial, adversity, and challenge our way. He wouldn’t need to prove us because we would already be fully proven. James 1:2-4

Two tangible and completely practical ways to “build yourself up in your most holy faith” (see Jude 20-21):

1) Imprint the word of God in your mind and heart through recitation, memorization, and strategic placement around you:

• Dig into the word of God daily — find the promises that you can cling to as you walk this tough path; write them down and diligently memorize them
• Recite the word of God continuously — first when you wake up (before you check your messages, Instagram, Facebook, the weather or the news); write scripture on slips of paper and carry it around with you to read throughout the day; read it last just before you go to sleep; listen to it as you drive in your car (the YouVersion bible app can recite scripture out loud to you); talk about what you are studying with your friends and family; paste it on your bathroom mirror and at your workstation; make it your wallpaper for your phone and computer; in short, put it everywhere
• Militaries think proactively about the conflict scenarios they expect to fight and place weapons strategically to enable them to fight threats effectively; we must do the same thing with the word of God and get it inside us and all around us, especially in places where we know we will be assailed by fear, doubt, or temptation
• Read the word out loud several times a day because it is alive and active, and it can break strongholds as you see it, say it, and hear it simultaneously

2) Worship — it dries up problems back to their real size as we focus on the Lord and remind ourselves of his goodness towards us. He is able and present — we know this help is personal because he loves us and sent Jesus to the cross for us. He is personally involved with us in our struggles; he wants us to encourage ourselves and others during times of doubt and wavering, because he knows those times will come. John 16:33

David said in Psalm 32:7: You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Intentionally sing in the morning, all day long, and at night. When you are grieved or troubled when it is time to sleep, play worship music softly in the background or through comfortable headphones. The Lord will wake you up singing songs in the night to remind you that he is there by your side, and you will see the dawn and still have a song on your lips.

You may cry and feel weak as you pour out your heart to The Lord, but take courage: when you are weak, he is strong…his strength is perfected in weakness. The point is to keep your eyes and your focus on the word of God, for the words of God in the bible are the only words that can refresh your heart, and bring you true peace and a lasting joy.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.

Additional Scriptures

Psalm 16:7-9: I will praise the Lord who counsels me — even at night my conscience instructs me. I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely.

Psalm 28:7: The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 59:16: But I will sing of your strength, and will joyfully proclaim your faithful love in the morning. For you have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble.

Psalm 91:2: This I will declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

Psalm 121:1-2 I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Isaiah 41:10, 13-14: Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand. For I, Yahweh your God, hold your right hand and say to you: Do not fear, I will help you. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel: I will help you — this is the Lord’s declaration. Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 43:2 I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.

Habakkuk 3:19: The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; he makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility!

John 16:33: I have told you these things so that in me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world, you have tribulation, and trials, and distress, and frustration. But be of good cheer: take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted. For I have overcome the world. I have deprived it of power to harm you, and have conquered it for you.

James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

1 Peter 1:6-7 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith — more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

See also: Holy Wrestling & Sleepless Nights from (in)courage me