When Trust Wavers: Rise from the Pit of Doubt

In this powerful episode, Terri dives into the universal struggle of maintaining trust in God during life’s challenging moments. Drawing from the story of Adam and Eve and Jesus’s disciples, you’ll explore how our faith gets tested and, more importantly, how to rise stronger when we fall into the pit of affliction. 

She’ll unpack:

• Why even the strongest faith faces moments of uncertainty
• The parallel between our modern struggles and biblical examples
• Three practical steps to rebuild trust when life knocks you down
• How to recognize and counter the enemy’s tactics that shake our faith

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Transcript

Trust. In any situation it can be born or destroyed.  

Trust is at the heart of a Biblical storyline starting with Adam and Eve. Listen as I take you back to the garden.

Walking and talking with Adam and Eve, God reveals a few dos and don’ts in the Garden of Eden.

In an opportune moment, the Garden’s resident serpent asks Eve a question about God’s rule not to eat fruit from a tree in the middle of the garden. Eve responds, “eating the fruit causes us to die”. The serpent counters with “Don’t trust what God told you.” The shrewd wild animal injects Eve with doubt, followed by an alternative truth. The serpent tells Eve, “God forbids you to eat from that specific tree because you will be and know like God. God is holding out on you”. 

There it is. Right at the get go. Trust in God is questioned and then destroyed in one strike. 

I like to think I’m not as vulnerable as Adam and Eve. But to think so is naïve. I am vulnerable and our mutual enemy, Satan, will never quit attacking my trust in God.

Jesus knows this because Satan tried the same thing with him in the desert. For this reason, in John chapter 14, Jesus gave the 12 disciples five words to live by, “trust God and trust Me”. Jesus reminded them they know the Father, have seen the Father, just as they have seen Jesus. But they struggled to trust as Jesus requested. 

Ultimately, Jesus told Philip and the others, “at least believe you have seen and know the Father because of the work you have seen me do.”

Jesus implores the disciples to remember what they have seen Him do in their life and the lives of others. Jesus believes this is reason enough to trust Him.

Daily, Jesus desires the same of us. Remembering how, when, and where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit showed up in your past strengthens your resolve to trust God in the present situation.

Forgetting God’s work in your life gives power for the enemy’s attack.

I like to think I’m the woman whose trust in God never flinches. 

That I’m not vulnerable to Satan’s spiritual attacks.

That fear and doubt cannot kick trust out of me.

But truth be told, there are times I am pressed to trust God. I falter. I fear. Then, I fall into a pit.

In my life, this is what I have found to be true. I’m going along. Doing all the things. As slight disappointments or dilemmas arise, I activate my trust in God and move on.

My trust is steady, rock solid, until:

·         the unexpected punches me in the gut, or 

·         I collide with tragedy or adversity 

As I reel from the impact, I attempt to trust in God and not flinch. 

I try. I’m certain you would try. But I can’t get my mental footing. Why? The enemy’s throwing stones of doubt and fear. Thoughts overwhelm piercing my mind and damaging trust. 

As I seek mental refuge, I fall into an ominous pit with sides closing in.

The pit of affliction tests our trust in the Lord. 

This is where and when we are most vulnerable. 

In my case, I let an intolerance of uncertainty control my thoughts. Or I awfulize. Awfulizing is imagining all the bad outcomes. Awfulizing is casting a worst-case scenario and multiplying it by one hundred. By projecting a yet unrealized future, I attract fear, worry, and anxiety--the exact opposite of trusting God.

What can I do? I remember.

No matter how deep the pit, I can rise. You can too. We can find that lifeline re-connecting our fervent trust in God.

This is how we rise:

1. ask God for strength of mind to silence fear-filled, doubting thoughts and images. Say with conviction, “Jesus, strengthen my mind. Calm my soul”.

2. fix your focus. Refocus your mind and emotions onto God and off the adversity. Fix your attention on God with you in the moment.

3. recall a time God was with you in the past. Remember and let the memory subdue doubt.

We rise from the pit using a bold trust anchored in the Rock, our Lord. 

Oh yes. These 3 steps might not work for you. Why? Because first you need to believe two things:

·         you need to believe Jesus responds when you ask in His name, and

·         you need to believe Jesus can give you strength of mind and calm your soul.

For some of you talking to Jesus is natural and you just forget there is power in His name. For some of you, thinking or uttering “Jesus, strengthen my mind” feels awkward or uncomfortable. I get it. I had that feeling at one time as well. 

Until I decided to try it. 

One thing is certain. There will always be hardships and difficulty to alter a steady rhythm of thinking, feeling, and living from a place of trust in God. But with God’s Spirit in us, we can stand through it all.

You forge a strong God-trust by looking for Him working in all things. 

Of course, never forget always, always the enemy beckons you toward desperation and hopeless images. The enemy promotes the idea God doesn’t care or has turned away from you. 

This is why Jesus says our primary goal is staying close to the Lord, standing firm in the battle, and praising God. We can do it. We got this!

Is there someone who needs to hear this encouragement? Share this podcast link. Also, if you haven’t already, subscribe to my Anchored Not Anxious CareLetter. Find the link by opening the podcast episode description. Thank you for listening. Until next time.