Childlike Faith Through the Trials

As children, we’re filled with hope, dreams, and expectations. But along the way, disappointment comes, and trust becomes harder to hold on to. A trusted adult may have hurt you, a friend may have betrayed you, or someone may have spoken against your dreams and made you feel like you aren’t enough. As we grow, we are constantly met with hurt and disappointment. It’s unavoidable. 

This is often what happens in our walk with Christ. You give your life to Christ and are filled with excitement and expectation. Everyone congratulates you, and you become on fire for God. You’re praying, reading your Bible, and worshipping the Lord.

But life continues after giving your life to Christ, and things happen. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, are experiencing financial stress, a breakup, or an illness - you name it. Slowly, you start to lose hope. You pray, but it isn’t answered, so you begin spending less time with God; you’re not praying as you used to. As trust fades, your expectations fade too.

So the challenge becomes how to navigate trust in God amid disappointment. That is why God says to have childlike faith (Matt 18:2-4), a faith that is pure and filled with humility, trusting that your heavenly Father knows His children best. 

In times of difficulty, the enemy makes us feel as though we must run from God. When we do, it is often a response rooted in shame and condemnation. Similarly, Adam and Eve attempted to hide from God after they ate the fruit in Eden (Gen 3:8). But Jesus is always inviting us to draw close to Him (James 4:8); we can’t allow our circumstances to dictate our relationship with God. We have to constantly remind ourselves that He desires to be with us, especially in our hardest moments. So, as you navigate grief, invite God; as you experience heartbreak, invite God; as you face financial hardship, invite God. Sometimes you may not even have the words to express how you feel, so even in your “sigh,” God acknowledges (Psalm 38:9). Keep drawing close to Him.

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