Theresa says, “I’m barely getting by paycheck to paycheck. I’ve stopped crafting and doing what I love and I’m depressed. More importantly, I feel like I’m losing faith. I try so hard but I keep letting myself down. I want to show my grandkids that life can knock you down but you have to keep getting back up. It’s hard though because I don’t know if I believe that anymore. This private coaching would mean everything to me. You are so inspiring and make me want to believe I can turn things around…I just need someone to give me a chance and guide me down the right path.“
Living Paycheck to Paycheck and Losing Faith? Christian Encouragement to Keep Getting Back Up
First, Theresa, I’m so sorry you’re dealing with all of this. I know it’s super tough and I’m so happy that I can be used by God to be an inspiration. 😍
I also want to commend you on being ABLE to live paycheck to paycheck right now! Yay!!! 🎉 I know that might sound shocking, but there are SO many who are struggling to the point that being able to not be negative each month on basic necessities is a MASSIVE BLESSING. You are being blessed right now and I’m so thankful that God is blessing you in this way. Praise God. ❤️🙌
However, it IS depressing to feel so stuck. I get it. It does suck your soul away and dim your light and make you feel bad.
You feel like there’s no hope, no salvation coming, it will just always be this way. Like nothing will ever change. Maybe you even feel like it’s your fault or like there’s no way of escape.
Living in this kind of constant struggle can lead us to getting angry with God. Wondering why He’s leaving us here alone to fend for ourselves. Not saving us, not helping us, not carrying this burden for us.
On top of all those feelings, we go out into the world in our daily activities and so many others are bitter, mean, cantankerous, and when they see our hope, the light we have inside of us, they purposely TRY to knock us down. 😮
I’m in a situation right now where someone in my life, whom I can’t get away from, is purposely trying to knock me down. They say they are Christian but there is no evidence of it and more than that, they are jealous of my faith in God, my good works for His Kingdom (this blog) and are trying to knock me down and destroy my hope so that they can feel better than me.
They constantly cause fights, quarrels. They constantly put more on me than should be. They constantly stir the pot and try to make problems where there are no problems and when they are gone, life is pleasant, calm, peaceful. When they are around, life is full of tormoil and it’s all under the guise of them claiming to be believers. Good people.
First, stop and pray. Understand that you’re not alone. That the world IS messed up right now, bitterness is everywhere, loss of hope IS truly out there. Even the ones who are NOT having to deal with the things like living paycheck to paycheck are struggling. They are running as fast as they can to KEEP above the water too. Although they have a bank account with money in it, they understand these are shaky times and they are scared of losing it all in an instant.
The worry is there for them as well as those living in need.
The best thing to do right now is to pray. Tell God your situation. Be completely transparent and honest. Bring your requests to His feet (Psalm 55:22), tell Him how you feel. Tell Him there are others who are struggling as well and lift your fellow brothers and sisters up to Christ as well, bringing ALL requests to Him.
The first thing that does is call out the elephant in the room.
Suddenly, you can breathe. You can just let it all out in a safe place, between you and the Lord, and if you’ve already told Him all this and how you feel, tell Him again. ❤️ He never gets sick of hearing from His children. He never tires of our worries, problems, or things we are struggling with. He’s here each step of the way.
Secondly, God answers EVERY single prayer we pray. I chuckle to myself as I write that….I remember a prayer I prayed, gosh it must be 15-16 years ago now?
I had known this particular person at church and I really just wanted to be in their life, but we ran in different circles. I had prayed that God would provide a way for me to get to know them, to be friends. I really admired them, respected them, and wanted an opportunity to get to know them and be in their life. I felt a “pull” toward them, like I was SUPPOSED TO BE in their life and them in mine, somehow.
Nothing happened. I looked for opportunities, but nothing. Then, there WAS an opportunity and I bolted. I ran away so quick. I got scared. This person I admired so much, respected so much, cared about so much, I just got so nervous when the opportunity came that I bolted and lost the opportunity.
Years later, I prayed again. Asking God to give me an opportunity to be their friend.
Nothing ever happened.
The reason I chuckle, is because today, on the day that I am writing this blog post, this person is my very best friend in the whole entire world. In fact, I’ve never had a more closer friend in my entire life. I’ve never known anyone who “gets me” like they do. That “pull” that I felt, WAS God. It was real and it may have taken, literally FOR-ever for my prayer to be answered, it DID happen.
God gave me a chance, I blew it, but He didn’t give up just then. He brought it all out to be. We’re friends.
Isn’t that amazing?!
Isn’t that incredible? 🤩
God cares so much about the small details of our lives, some random prayer I prayed 15 years ago. But He does. Even if it doesn’t seem like He cares, He does. Even if it seems like He’s far away, He’s not. Even if it seems like He’s not working in the situation, I guarantee you…HE IS!
God is working in the background in your life. He’s working in the background in my life. For everyone’s life. He’s there, He cares, He loves you (Psalm 34:18).
👉 You’re going to get through this.
You’re going to make it through. 🥰
The devil wants you to think that you won’t. He wants you to think you can’t make it or that your “god” is too small to handle this, but God is NOT. He knows about this situation, this very moment in your life, and that it would happen, before He even created the foundations of the world!
It’s not surprising to Him. It doesn’t shock Him. He knew of it. So, it stands to reason, He has a purpose in it. He has a plan and it is unfolding right now as we speak, only, you might not be able to see that plan unfolding yet. You will in time. ❤️
It may be to test your loyalty to Him. Like Job’s wife who said, “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). If you’re holding on, not cursing God, even while depressed, you’re a step ahead of that because you HAVEN’T given up. Even though it may not FEEL like it, you’re doing GREAT!!! 🥰
You’re still holding on, still trying, you just are struggling with doubt.
It is good for you to show your family that you are still holding on, but it is also good to show people that we doubt sometimes, that we’re struggling with all this too, and that none of us has all the answers. This shows others we are real and that we struggle too.
It is good to maybe say something like, “I know what you mean. I’m feeling the same way. Things LOOK LIKE they are not going well, but I also know my God, and He has a plan (Jeremiah 29:11). He will take care of this. He is working in the situation. I may not know how or why right now. It’s not my job to understand why, it’s my job to continue in my faith and believe, even when I’m doubting and so that’s what I’m trying my absolute best to do.”
👉 Faith is not faith when everything is going well.
Faith is not faith when we can see all the answers in front of us so clearly.
Faith is faith when we DON’T. 💯
As long as you DO keep getting back up, you’re succeeding and as long as you’re able to keep getting back up, it proves that there IS a God who is inside of you, sustaining you, loving you, helping you, honoring you, making a way for you (Philippians 4:13).
The second thing I would encourage you to do is to get back into crafting and doing what you love. Don’t let world events and the struggle that you’re going through right now deplete your joy in the Lord. Your needs are being met, praise God, 🙌 and continue doing what makes you happy! What lights up your soul and brings a fire inside you. Keep doing those things.
I would also say that so often we see others doing well, succeeding, even people like celebrities. They seem like they have it all together, things are always a bed of roses, but there are feast and famine times for everyone. There are ebb and flow times for everyone.
A celebrity is front page news when their life is going well and they are on fire, but if you watch that same celebrity over a long period of time (a decade, for example), you’ll see them step back from the light. They won’t BE front page news, in fact, you don’t hear ANYTHING about them at all.
Why?
Sometimes they are dealing with personal issues. Sometimes they are resting, taking time away from the spotlight to recharge their batteries because of the demand OF that spotlight. Sometimes, they’re just taking a break or working on different things.
You only see their front page stuff so you just assume their life is ALWAYS going well. But it’s not.
This is your moment of resting. This is your moment of being away from the front page, so to speak. Everyone goes through it. Why? Because we are not robots. We were designed to rest. Even God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). He does not need to rest, but He does so in order to create a pattern for us, knowing our physical limitations.
It is OKAY to not always be “front page”.
It is OKAY to rest.
It is OKAY to take time.
It is okay that you’re in this season.
Just don’t let it consume you. Don’t give up. Contend for the faith, the Bible says (Jude 1:3). Be content with where we’re at, whether we have little or much or what season we’re in (Philippians 4:11-13) – I’m telling myself this too right now. ❤️ We cannot expect to always be in a flow season, just know that this is your ebb season and it’s okay.
Why?
Because pretty soon you’ll be in a flow season again!!! 🎉 It’s inevitable! It may be just around the corner, we don’t know. Just keep your faith, hold on tight, and keep your hope fixed on God as He’s walking you through all this. ❤️💎🤗
P.s. There’s some cute jewels Christian digital stickers I just posted, also. Since they are PNG images, you could easily save the “She is more precious than jewels” image to your computer wallpaper or print it and stick it on your mirror. Anywhere you need a reminder of how much God cares for you and how precious, important, and special you truly are! 🥰
