Part 3: The Conclusion to Mental Toughness for Christians
They’re comfortable being uncomfortable and they stand out everywhere they go.
Those are the characteristics of mentally tough Christians, as discussed in part 1 and part 2 of this series. But there’s one more roadblock that prevents indestructible faith, and it starts with facing another lie we tell ourselves too often.
First, a little pop quiz.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
Pop Quiz: RATE YOUR FAITH RESILIENCY
QUESTION #1
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being indestructible and 1 being very weak, how would you rate the strength of your faith?
(Think about it. Don’t rush.)
QUESTION #2
Take a moment to go through this checklist. Do you have…
- A warm, dry place to sleep every night?
- Indoor plumbing and hot running water?
- Access to three balanced meals a day?
- A relatively safe school and/or work environment?
- Loving family members?
- Good friends?
QUESTION #3
Now imagine that EVERYTHING you checked in Question #2 is taken away overnight. Then go back and answer Question #1 again:
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being indestructible and 1 being very weak, how would you rate the strength of your faith now?
Time to take a look at the final lie.
Lie #3: “Something awful is happening. God must not be real.”
We believe in God until we lose something…
There it is, the third untruth that gets in the way of indestructible faith. Do you share the human tendency to doubt the minute things go wrong? We believe in God until we lose someone we love in a tragic way, or our family loses our home, or friends desert us, or war tears into our country, or . . .
Suddenly, we’re not so sure of his goodness—or his existence at all.
How can you make sure yours is not the faith that falters in bad times?
Mental Conditioning
Once again, this is an issue of fearing discomfort. We cling to the familiar and the comfortable and thus condition ourselves to believe that when we are thrust into an unfamiliar, uncomfortable situation, God is not keeping his promises.
God’s main goal is not for us to be comfortable.
God’s main goal is not for us to be comfortable. He wants us to be his, and he wants our faith strong. You don’t become physically fit by sitting on your couch and watching exercise shows. You become fit when you get up, put on your running shoes, and move—when you sweat, when your muscles burn and your lungs are heaving and your heart pumps so hard you think you’re going to die. That’s not comfortable, but it serves a purpose.
So it is with faith.
Faith needs to be exercised.
Now is the time to condition yourself for the hard times. Yes, you should thank God for the comforts and material blessings you currently enjoy, but also pray that he will keep your faith strong when they are taken away. Instead of believing your well-being is wrapped up in your life circumstances, condition your brain to see that true well-being means your soul is held in God’s hands.
Need some help with this? Here are a few starting verses for you to memorize:
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8
Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Psalm 62:6
You too can have indestructible faith. Work toward it and keep exercising it!
More Resources for Indestructible Faith:
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.