Learning To Live By Faith

June 1, 2025

A challenging aspects of my spiritual journey was maintaining focus and holding onto my faith in God. There were times when I questioned God’s love for me and his love for others. Heck, there were times when I thought about questioning his entire being. There were seasons in my life when things were so dark that I could not find the light. It’s easy to thank and praise God when things are going well, but what about when you are going through hardship after hardship? These are the seasons when we question him, especially when we do not have a deep connection with him. How do you maintain that faith as you walk this journey?

One of the key realizations in my journey was the acceptance of my humanity and the understanding that it’s okay to question God. Many in the church may try to instill guilt for such questioning, especially in the early stages. However, it’s a natural part of our journey. How do I know? The Bible itself, in the Book of Habakkuk, illustrates the transformation from a person who questioned God to one who worshipped Him. It taught me that it’s not wrong to question God, but it’s important to remember that our faith can grow stronger through these questions, leading us to a deeper connection with Him.

As I took a closer look, a couple of verses stood out to me. In chapter 1:2, you can hear Habakkuk pleading and questioning God when he states, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will no save.” I have thought about this many times. I have had moments with God, basically asking, “What’s the deal? You hear me pleading for help, and you are not answering,” or “God, why am I going through this?”

After Habakkuk pleads, God responds in verse 5, stating, “Look among the nations and watch-be utterly astounded! for I will work a work in your days which would not believe, though it were told to you.”  Here, I interpreted this as God telling him to watch and be patient. “I’m telling you everything would be fine, but you do not believe me.” We, as humans, want what we want when we want it. We also believe if we cannot see it happening, then nothing is happening. However, God is always with us, making something happen during chaotic times. We know this because God is always in control; however, since we do not see any movement, we believe nothing is happening in our favor.

Understanding this concept may be challenging at the beginning of your spiritual journey. But remember, you are human, and God will test your faith. As Habakkuk states in Chapter 2:4, to live by faith is to trust in God’s plan, especially during hard times. He has a vision and purpose for you. As you become more rooted in your faith, you will find yourself questioning God less and relying on faith more, understanding that His plan is always in motion, even when it’s not immediately visible to us.