Simple Faith Through Complicated Seasons
Complicated seasons get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. During them, though, we can feel pressured to be something we’re not—almost like the strength of our faith is going to determine how our season ends.
That’s how I used to think about faith until I was met with a season where I didn’t have the strength to work my way out on my own. Instead, I learned a precious lesson: simple faith is enough for complicated seasons.
This story begins about six years ago. I went to a Christian college, and most of the people around me wanted to do something ministry-related. I wanted to as well but was led to pursue a business degree.
As it came time to graduate, I received a job offer from my church and it was everything I thought I wanted. I was so excited!
A couple different people around that time suggested I pray about it first. Both of their exact words were: “Just because something looks perfect doesn’t mean it’s the right thing.”
My mind was made up, but I prayed just to be sure. Soon, though, it was clear that I actually needed to take a different job back home – in business.
Trading Dreams For The Motions
Something unexpected happened that summer which made the season sting a little more. I was getting ready to start my master’s in Ministerial Leadership, but I was so depressed that I could barely bring myself to church some Sundays. Instead, I would bring my Bible outdoors and read in the peaceful quiet.
As time went on, I didn’t spend much time dreaming. I spent a lot of time just trying to make it through. I would move from work to homework to dealing with this other issue. It was numbing after a while.
Little did I know, God was using the topics of my classes each semester to guide me to necessary changes. In His mercy, He corrected me where I was wrong. He brought me out of what I was going through step by step, even when I couldn’t see how anything could possibly change.
It’s special being able to write this today. Right around this time five years ago, I was telling God that I was going to trust Him and put everything I was dealing with in His hands. Literally giving it up because I didn’t know what else to do with it. I had already done everything I knew to do, but it was still falling apart.
It felt like the heaviness would never change even if my circumstances did, but I kept telling myself: “No matter how bad it feels, anything can get better with God. He can change anything in a day.”
I didn’t have mountaintop-looking faith. In fact, some days the only prayer I could muster out was, “Help me.”
But He did.
Patience Through The Waiting
Mingled in the healing and learning, there were stretches where it felt like nothing was changing. Life wasn’t exciting, and if anything, there were moments that were just plain frustrating. None of that meant God wasn’t working, though.
As more time went on, I gained greater appreciation for stories of waiting in the Bible. While we talk more frequently about mountaintop moments, moments of everyday faith were important enough to be recorded in Scripture, too.
Paul’s story is one that I love. A part of me has always wanted to be like him: traveling the world, planting churches and strengthening believers, visiting church after church to encourage them to stay true to their first love and grow as followers of Christ. Wouldn’t that be amazing?
In addition to the hardships he faced, though, Paul says in Galatians 1:17-18 that it was three years before he left for Jerusalem and his subsequent journeys. He writes of that time:
“I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which are in Christ.” – Galatians 1:22 (NASB)
We could look at the life of David who, after being anointed and defeating Goliath, was still forced to flee to a cave to escape King Saul. The lengthened physical distance from David’s promise didn’t stop God from using those circumstances to prepare David to become king.
“Unexpected curveballs and standstill seasons are not marks of God’s abandonment.”
And there’s Joseph. He first shared his dreams with his family at 17, yet they didn’t come to pass until he was 30… and that’s after he was sold as a slave by his brothers and wrongfully thrown in jail. Rather than giving up, Joseph waited patiently on God. Psalm 105:19 says of that time:
“Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord refined him.” (NASB)
Unexpected curveballs and standstill seasons are not marks of God’s abandonment. Instead, they offer opportunities to learn, change, and grow closer to God.
Simple Faith In Complicated Seasons
Sometimes we talk about spiritual growth from complicated seasons almost as a consolation prize: “At least I get to know God more.”
Once we’ve learned to trust God, though, that changes to: “I get to know God better. I get to have my imperfect dreams and plans interrupted and learn to rely on the very same God who created heaven and earth. I get to learn right here and now firsthand that I will never be alone again.”
God did heal those areas that felt hopeless years ago, and He’s opened the door to possibilities I wouldn’t have even known to dream for.
But can I tell you something?
If growing closer to God meant giving up every one of my hopes, plans, and dreams, I would still do it. The value of learning to really trust God through anything can’t be measured. I wouldn’t trade what I’ve learned the past six years for anything.
As I write this, I’m reminded of 1 Peter 3:3-4:
“Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; but it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” (NASB)
Don’t worry, I’m not about to tell you to never do your hair or speak up boldly for what you believe in. The part I was reminded of is where it talks about a gentle and quiet spirit; that it’s “precious in the sight of God.”
Our faith doesn’t need to be loud and showy. It doesn’t even need to have immediate outward victories in order to be proven true. There is something beautiful about a quiet and trusting faith in God—one that learns how to share the truth of Jesus with others but doesn’t require immediate signs and miracles to believe.
There are some seasons where the only thing we can do is choose to be faithful day by day. Those moments are not without purpose. Instead, we draw closer to God in the waiting, finding refuge in Him who loves us enough to walk with us through it.
Be encouraged, friends. Our journey has only just begun.
