Why Am I Struggling in My Faith? The Bridge to Experiencing God’s Promises

 

Introduction: Feeling Stuck in Your Faith?

Many Christians go through seasons where they feel disconnected, frustrated, or spiritually exhausted. You may believe in Jesus, attend church, and pray, yet something still feels off—as if you’re falling short of the life God has promised.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many believers struggle in their faith, not because God has abandoned them, but because they haven’t developed the spiritual disciplines needed to experience the fullness of their salvation.

Think of it like an athlete who shows up to a marathon without training. The runner may have the desire to finish the race, but without preparation, they’ll struggle, become exhausted, and may even quit before reaching the finish line.

The good news? God’s promises are already available to you, but it takes spiritual discipline to fully walk in them. Let’s explore what the Bible says about this and how you can strengthen your faith starting today.

1. Salvation Is a Free Gift—But Experiencing Its Fullness Takes Effort

The Bible is clear: We are saved by grace through faith, not by our own works.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”— Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

However, many believers fail to experience the joy, peace, and strength that should accompany salvation because they neglect spiritual discipline.

Imagine someone who receives a free gym membership—a gift with unlimited potential to improve their health. If they never show up, they’ll never experience the benefits. The same is true in the Christian life. You have access to God’s promises, but you must train yourself in godliness to fully enjoy them.

2. The Bridge: How Spiritual Discipline Positions You for God’s Promises

Paul emphasizes this in 1 Timothy 4:7-9:

“But have nothing to do with irreverent folklore and silly myths. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness [keeping yourself spiritually fit]. For physical training is of some value, but godliness (spiritual training) is of value in everything and in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. This is a faithful and trustworthy saying worthy of full acceptance and approval.” — 1 Timothy 4:7-9 (AMP)

Paul acknowledges that physical training has some value, but spiritual training is far more valuable because it impacts both this life and eternity.

Spiritual discipline doesn’t earn God’s love or salvation, but it does position you to receive the benefits of what He has already given.

Key Spiritual Disciplines That Build Your Faith:

• Reading and meditating on Scripture

“He answered, “The Scriptures say: Bread alone will not satisfy, but true life is found in every word that constantly goes forth from God’s mouth.” Matthew 4:4 TPT

• Consistent prayer 

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life,”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭TPT‬‬

• Worship and thanksgiving 

“Let joy be your continual feast. Make your life a prayer. And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

• Obedience to God’s Word 

“Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!”

‭‭James (Jacob)‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭TPT‬‬

• Fellowship and accountability 

“This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Neglecting these disciplines doesn’t make you less saved, but it does make your walk with God weaker—just like an athlete who stops training loses endurance.

3. Why Many Christians Feel Spiritually Weak

If you feel spiritually drained, distant from God, or stuck in bad habits, you may be neglecting spiritual training. Here’s what happens when we do:

• Lack of Peace – Worry and anxiety take over because we’re not rooted in God’s promises (Isaiah 26:3).

• Doubt and Confusion – Without consistent time in the Word, we become vulnerable to deception (Colossians 2:8).

• Weakness in Trials – Hard times feel overwhelming instead of strengthening (James 1:2-4).

• Distance from God – Not because He moved, but because we stopped seeking Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

Greg Laurie’s Insight on Spiritual Discipline

Pastor Greg Laurie said:

“Not all Christians are disciples, but all disciples are Christians.”

The difference? Spiritual discipline.

• A Christian in name only may believe in Jesus but never develop the habits that bring spiritual strength.

• A disciple actively follows Christ through training and commitment.

• The difference between struggling and thriving in faith is discipline.

If you’re struggling, ask yourself: Am I truly training in godliness, or am I just coasting?

4. The Athlete Metaphor: Training for the Race of Faith

Paul often compares the Christian life to an athlete training for a race:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” — 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NKJV)

The Greek word for discipline (gymnazo, γυμνάζω) is where we get the word gymnasium. It means to train, exercise, or exert oneself vigorously—not casually or occasionally, but with intentional effortand ongoing commitment.

An untrained runner struggles to keep up, but a disciplined runner moves with endurance and strength.

If you feel spiritually exhausted, it’s time to get back into training.

5. How to Start Training Today

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight—just start small but stay consistent:

✅ Commit to 5-10 minutes of Scripture and prayer daily.

✅ Find an accountability partner who encourages and prays with you.

✅ Cut out distractions—What “silly myths” or time-wasters are keeping you from training?

✅ Prioritize consistency over perfection—Even small efforts add up over time.

Discipline leads to freedom. The more you train spiritually, the more God’s peace, strength, and joy become your reality.

Conclusion: The Bridge to a Stronger Faith

You don’t have to stay stuck in frustration.

• Spiritual discipline is the bridge between God’s promises and your experience of them.

• You already have salvation—the question is, are you training to walk in its fullness?

• The bridge is already built—will you walk across it?

Take the first step today, and watch how God strengthens your faith, fills you with peace, and empowers you to live the life He designed for you.

Even a small step of faith can begin a powerful transformation in your walk with God.

Stay S.T.E.A.D.Y. - Six Biblical Leadership Principles

Six Leadership Principles from 2 Corinthians 10

Leadership is not primarily about position, title, authority, influence, or even success. Leadership begins with leading ourselves well.

After more than 50 years in business, ministry, family life, and leadership, I’ve discovered that some of the most practical leadership principles I’ve learned are not found in modern leadership books. They are found in God’s Word.

One chapter that has profoundly shaped my thinking is 2 Corinthians 10. While many people associate this chapter with spiritual warfare, I also see a timeless blueprint for leadership. The Apostle Paul teaches us how to think, lead, respond to opposition, exercise authority, and remain faithful to our calling.

Whether you lead a business, a ministry, a family, a team, or simply yourself, these principles provide a practical framework for living and leading with wisdom, conviction, and humility.

I’ve summarized these lessons with one simple word: S.T.E.A.D.Y.

When life becomes complicated, stay S.T.E.A.D.Y.

S — Submit Your Thoughts

Paul teaches us to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Every action begins as a thought. Our thoughts affect what we ultimately believe and how we act. Leaders who fail to govern their thoughts will eventually struggle to govern their actions.

Fear, doubt, offense, discouragement, temptation, and deception all begin as thoughts. If left unchecked, they eventually influence our attitudes, decisions, relationships, and leadership.

Effective leaders learn to recognize destructive thinking, reject what is false, and replace it with God’s truth.

When negative thoughts arise, identify the lie, reject the lie, and replace it with a promise from God’s Word.

Leadership Application: The quality of your leadership is determined by the quality of your thinking.

Remember: Replace the lie with the promise.

T — Target the Root

Paul reminds us that our weapons are mighty through God for pulling down strongholds. When dealing with other people—and sometimes ourselves—effective leaders understand that visible problems often have invisible causes.

Anger may be rooted in fear. Conflict may be rooted in pride. Resistance may be rooted in insecurity. Poor decisions may be rooted in deception. Surface issues often reveal deeper problems.

Many people spend their lives trimming bad fruit while ignoring unhealthy roots. Great leaders look beyond symptoms and seek to understand the motive, the stronghold, or the root behind the issue.

God’s Word exposes deception and gives us wisdom to deal with the real problem instead of merely reacting to what we see.

Leadership Application: Don’t merely react to behavior. Discover and address the root cause.

Remember: Don’t trim the fruit. Pull the root.

E — Exercise Your Authority

Paul understood the authority God had entrusted to him. He knew who he was, whose he was, and what God had called him to do. He was neither arrogant nor timid because his confidence was rooted in his identity and calling, not in himself.

Leadership is not about being better than others. It is about recognizing your God-given assignment and faithfully carrying it out. Authority is not found in position, title, or personality. It is found in character—understanding who you are in Christ, what He has called you to do, and having the courage to walk in that calling.

Biblical humility should never be confused with weakness, passivity, or silence. Humility is not weakness. It is strength under God’s control. Jesus was humble, yet He confronted error. Paul was humble, yet he defended the truth and exercised his God-given authority. Humility is not the absence of conviction; it is conviction submitted to God.

Leaders who understand their identity are not threatened by others. They do not lead through intimidation or pride. They lead through confidence, self-control, conviction, and the courage to speak truth when truth needs to be spoken.

Leadership Application: Walk in your identity, your relationship with Christ, and your God-given assignment.

Remember: Know who you are. Know whose you are. Know what you’re called to do.

A — Align With the Right Leader

Every leader follows someone.

The question is whether we are following the right voice.

Culture has a voice. Social media has a voice. Public opinion has a voice. Friends have voices. Critics have voices.

Paul continually pointed believers back to Christ. The greatest safeguard against deception is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and measuring every decision against God’s Word.

If we follow the crowd, we will eventually drift. If we follow Christ, we will remain anchored in truth.

Leadership Application: Follow Christ above culture, trends, personalities, and popular opinion.

Remember: Keep your eyes on Jesus.

D — Dismiss Wrong Voices

Paul lived with criticism. Some questioned his authority. Others questioned his methods. Still others questioned his effectiveness.

Every leader will face criticism.

Some criticism is valuable because it helps us grow. Other criticism is simply noise that distracts us from our purpose.

One of the marks of mature leadership is knowing the difference.

Receive correction from people who love you, know you, and want God’s best for you. Ignore voices that only seek to discourage, divide, or distract.

Leadership Application: Learn from correction but refuse to be controlled by criticism.

Remember: If they don’t have a voice in your destiny, don’t give them a voice in your mind.

Y — Yield to What Is Right

Paul closes this section by reminding us that the approval that matters most is the Lord’s approval.

Leadership often presents difficult choices. Convenience competes with conviction. Popularity competes with principle. Profit competes with integrity.

When those moments come, ask one simple question:

What is the right thing to do?

Doing what is right is not always easy. It may cost you something. It may even cost you relationships or opportunities.

But integrity always leaves you with something more valuable—a clear conscience and God’s approval.

One principle has guided me through decades of leadership:

You rarely go wrong doing what is right.

Leadership Application: Make every decision through the filter of biblical truth and integrity.

Remember: Do the right thing.

Final Thoughts

The longer I lead, the more I appreciate simple principles that can be practiced every day.

When challenges arise, criticism comes, relationships become difficult, or important decisions must be made, I often return to these timeless lessons from 2 Corinthians 10.

Stay S.T.E.A.D.Y.

• Submit your thoughts.
• Target the root.
• Exercise your authority.
• Align with the right leader.
• Dismiss wrong voices.
• Yield to what is right.

These are more than leadership principles. They are life principles. They have shaped my leadership in business, ministry, family, and everyday life because they are anchored in the timeless truth of God’s Word.

If you consistently practice these six principles, you’ll become a leader who thinks clearly, acts courageously, serves humbly, and leaves a lasting impact on the people God has entrusted to your influence.

When life becomes noisy, uncertain, or complicated…

Stay S.T.E.A.D.Y.