DAILY DEVOTIONAL FROM PASTOR WESLEY July 19, 2024

The Changing Battle of Faith

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:2-8

Have you ever felt as if your Christian life swings back and forth like a pendulum between faith and doubt? This is a fairly common problem, especially in trying situations. Although you know what God’s Word says, your feelings may tell you something different.

The question is not if we’ll experience this, but when—and how long we’ll remain on one side or the other. Three factors can influence whether we lean toward faith or doubt: the state of our faith at the time of the trial; our knowledge and understanding of God; and our experience with failure or success in past trials.

To grow in faith, it is important that we ...

• Trust in God’s divine nature and wisdom.

• View difficulties from a scriptural perspective.

• Set our mind on God’s promises.

• Reflect on the Lord’s past faithfulness, both in Scripture and personal experience.

We can stabilize our faith by choosing to trust God rather than circumstances or human wisdom. Our perspective of the world is limited and unreliable, but the truth of Scripture stands firm. You can know with certainty that the Lord is faithful and will see you through every situation.

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