I feel empowered in the spring. As the dark, cold days give way to bursts of sunshine and balmy weather, my resistance—to exercising, to cleaning my house, to seeking spiritual self-improvement—melts away. Hope is restored.
I’m reminded of how the disciples lost their faith after Jesus was crucified. They gave up everything to follow him; after his death, they couldn’t move forward. Their dreams, like Jesus, were dead.
We have all experienced dark days similar to this. The disciples claimed it was “nonsense” when Mary Magdalene told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. Do you too feel there are no words that can convince you that the promises of God are real?
Maybe you don’t need words. Maybe it’s time to act. Here’s how I rebuild my faith when I stumble.
First, I accept where I am; beating myself up doesn’t help. Remember: The Son of Man came to save those who are lost.
Second, I double down on my prayer practice. In the morning and again at night, I find a quiet place and pray. Sometimes I play instrumental worship music. My prayers don’t have to be perfect; I just talk to God and listen for him.
Third, I reach out to people I trust: my pastor, mentors and close friends. There’s no reason for me to feel self-conscious about my struggles; the people who have the strongest faith have done their fair share of questioning. Their advice helps me resurrect my own faith. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find…” (Matthew 7:7).
Keep seeking God this spring.
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