There are seasons in every Christian’s life when faith feels more like a battle than a blessing. Prayers seem to go unanswered, Scripture feels distant, and the joy of salvation seems buried under the weight of life’s burdens. In those moments, it’s easy to wonder if something is wrong – if we’ve failed, if God is silent, or if we’re just not strong enough.

But struggling in faith does not mean failing in faith. Some of the greatest figures in the Bible – David, Elijah, even Paul – faced times of deep discouragement and doubt. David cried out, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1).

Elijah, after witnessing God’s power in miraculous ways, sat under a tree and begged for death. Paul spoke of despair so deep that he felt the “sentence of death” in his heart (2 Corinthians 1:8). If these men of faith struggled, why do we think we should be immune?

Faith is not the absence of struggle; it is choosing to hold onto God in the midst of it.

The enemy wants us to believe that struggle means we are alone. But God never abandons His people in their weakness. Instead, He meets them there. When Elijah was at his lowest, God didn’t rebuke him – He fed him, let him rest, and then spoke in a whisper, reminding him that He was still near.

Jesus Himself experienced the agony of suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, crying out, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Yet, in that moment, He surrendered to the Father’s will, trusting beyond what He felt. That is the heart of faith – not pretending everything is fine but clinging to God even when it’s not.

If you are in a season where faith feels heavy, take heart. God is not measuring you by your strength but by your willingness to trust Him, even with trembling hands. His grace is sufficient, His power is made perfect in weakness, and He will carry you through.

Hold on to God. He is near.