Healing Broken Faith: A Journey from Hurt to Hope (Ep 77)

Introduction

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Jason: Welcome and thank you for listening. My name is Jason and I'm your host. Faith is a personal and powerful aspect of many people's lives. It can be a source of strength as well as comfort, but faith can also be challenging and even painful at times. In this episode, I want to talk about broken faith, those times when we are hurt and left feeling alone.

And our faith takes a huge hit because of worldly turmoil. Let's take a journey into those dark corners of ourselves where we are tempted to turn from the face of God in hopeless despair. What are the impacts of broken faith? And what is the path to recovery? I want to try to address those questions and maybe, just maybe, I can help someone reconcile their pain and reach towards God again.

Understanding Broken Faith

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Jason: Have you ever doubted your faith? I'm sure we all have at some point or another. Maybe you're in a season of doubt right now. I mean, it can be rough, but what about when something so tragic occurs that we are left feeling angry or hurt by faith altogether? What happens when our faith gets broken and begins to fall apart?

Well, let's start by trying to understand broken faith a little better. I mean, basically, it refers to a situation where our spiritual practices have become disrupted, questioned, or even damaged, and it can be due to a number of reasons. It could be caused by a personal crisis. Which could be the loss of a loved one, or finding out that you have a serious illness, or even some sort of natural disaster.

These events can shake our faith and lead us to question about whether God even exists. I mean, often times you hear people in this mindset asking the question, Why would a loving God allow this? Faith can be broken because of institutional failures, such as scandals or controversies within the very religious institutions where we place our trust.

This can lead to someone questioning faith through the integrity of their spiritual leaders. We've seen this in some major institutions. Things like sexual abuse scandals, fraud schemes, improprietary between church leadership. And this can leave people wondering, what's the point of going to church? Why bother being a Christian?

Sometimes we go into spiritual crisis over intellectual doubts. As we seek knowledge, we might uncover information that is painted as scientific discovery. that may contradict what we've been taught through our religious pursuits. And this can lead to skepticism and doubt. These are just a few examples, but I think you get the idea.

There are influences in this world that seek to drive a wedge between God and us. And sometimes it works.

The Impact of Broken Faith

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Jason: So what's the impact of broken faith? I mean, the short answer is it's not good. Whenever there are any significant changes in our lives, including how we view the world or how we view God, that can cause us this feeling or the sense of loss and grief.

This disruption to our faith can leave a huge void in us, resulting in feelings of sadness, loneliness, and isolation. When we allow our faith to be stripped from us, it can create an identity crisis. Many of us link our faith with our sense of self and community. So, a break faith can lead to a crisis of identity and purpose, not to mention feelings of betrayal.

But on top of that, broken faith can lead to anger and resentment. We might start directing those ugly emotions towards religious institutions, specific doctrine, or even God. Broken faith can affect our relationships. especially with those who have shared in our religious backgrounds. It can go so far as to create tension within families and our friendships and our communities that we've come to know and trust.

God through Christ. In Psalm: 55:12

We don't know who betrayed David or the circumstances surrounding the psalm, but it does speak to the wounds that can be inflicted by those we trust.

If an enemy or an adversary is attacking us, we, we have a means to defend ourself. But when betrayal comes from a trusted source, It can take years to overcome. Just imagine how someone might feel if they perceive that the church has hurt them, or even if they feel God has betrayed them. Understand, things of this world and people of this world can sometimes be untrustworthy, but I assure you, God can always be trusted, even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes. There is a path to healing, but that path is through God.

Paths To Healing

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Jason: Healing takes time, which is something we struggle with more than ever in our modern day. I mean We can order things on Amazon and have them later that same day or the next morning. If I want to watch a particular show or a movie, I can open up my, my smart TV and turn on an app and stream almost anything within seconds.

re time than you want. Romans: 12:12

Remember, God's timing is not our timing. But if you submit to the Lord, He will show you the way. Remember the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to him, and he will make your path straight."

Paths To Healing: Self Reflection & Introspection

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Jason: Once you have accepted the timing of this whole thing, as in, it will happen when God says so and not a minute sooner, we can move on to some practical steps towards healing broken faith, starting with some good old fashioned self reflection.

This is an important practice in our spiritual journey. It gives us the opportunity to hit the pause button, look inward, and examine our hearts and minds in light of God's truth. If you and I are willing to do some self reflection with an open heart and open mind, we'll gain a deeper understanding of what motivates us, what our actions do, and most importantly, the state of our relationship with God.

n my spiritual health. Psalms: 139:23

By asking God to search your heart, we then open ourselves up to his guidance and corrective action. If your faith has been rattled, this might be difficult, but I urge you to try. Because when we partner with God to assess our lives, we may find areas where we fall short of His standards. Probably a lot of areas.

But understand, this is not meant to fill your heart with guilt. On the contrary, it is meant to give you the path to unload that guilt. 1 John 1:9 reassures us of God's forgiveness, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

God is everything we're not. He is sinless, patient, genuine, and loving. He is the only one who can honestly identify our sins and our offer grace to change them. It is through self reflection that we invite Him into our lives, into our hearts, to do this for us. and allow us to grow in love and humility.

This will also deepen our relationship with God and stay connected to His purpose. In fact, Lamentations 3:40 reminds us how important it is to constantly turn our hearts back to God through self examination. It reads, "Let us examine our ways and test them. and let us return to the Lord." Self reflection and introspection requires, well, it requires honesty as well as vulnerability.

It's hard to face our flaws and mistakes. And when things go wrong, we want someone else to blame. But blame doesn't solve the problem. When we come before God in humility, He will renew our spirit and restore our joy. So I want to challenge you today to set some time aside, put down your phone, Sit in silence with God and do some self reflection, whether you're suffering broken faith or not, this is a great practice. Maybe grab a journal and start writing. This can be a great tool to help you process your thoughts and emotions and gain some clarity.

Paths To Healing: Seek Support

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Jason: Now, the next tool we have in this endeavor is to seek some support. Look, life is filled with peaks and valleys, moments of joy and times of trials during the more challenging season of our lives, seeking support can be crucial to our well being God designed us for community and mutual encouragement He understands that we are stronger together Than alone and contrary to worldly opinions seeking support in the body of Christ is a sign of strength.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us of how powerful companionship can be it says, "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor You If either of them falls down, one can help the other up, but pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."

When we reach out for support, and we invite others to walk alongside us, lifting us up as we stumble. This encourages us to keep moving forward, allowing others to help us carry our burdens and help carry others burdens, is a reflection of God's love and care. Galatians 6:2 demonstrates the importance of bearing each other's burdens, "You carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Understand that this verse comes in the context of sin, and sometimes we are overtaken by sin and need some help from our brothers and sisters. Apostle Paul understood that sin can create a heavy burden through these trials.

Perspective is important here. The focus should not be an expectation that others will carry your burdens. This can lead to pride, frustration, and discouragement. God wants us to be other focused, but in times of need, we ask God to let Himself be glorified through His body of Christ, and invite others to do His good work through supporting you.

And when the time is right, you will do the same for someone else. This verse also illustrates the importance of Christ's commandment to love each other. Now, if you still feel like seeking help is weakness, understand that even Jesus confided in his disciples when he felt weary and he sought their support.

Check out Matthew: 26:38

We gain wisdom and guidance by seeking help. and ultimately it makes us stronger during our trials. Embrace the support of your community, knowing that in doing so we will fulfill God's design for our lives as we experience the fullness of His love and grace through others. Before I move on, I have one more thing that I want to mention regarding seeking help.

Looking to our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ is definitely important. However, there are times when we need professional guidance and we need to seek help. from a licensed counselor, a psychologist, or even a psychiatrist. If you are trying to recover from a hurt dealt by a church, a devastating loss, or even someone in the faith who acted very unchrist like, it might be better to find a counselor to help you work through those challenges.

Explore Spiritual Practices

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Jason: If you are struggling in your beliefs. Consider moving your faith journey forward by exploring different spiritual practices, which are also known as spiritual disciplines. And even if you're not 100 percent into it, these activities that we're going to explore, well, they're ways to help cultivate a healing relationship with God, and they will help us reflect on Christ. These spiritual disciplines are all rooted in biblical principles and will guide us towards a life of holiness, purpose, and intimacy with God.

Spiritual Practices: Prayer

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Jason: Now, the first spiritual discipline is prayer. Which is truly pivotal to our spiritual lives. Prayer opens up a direct line of communication with the Creator of the universe.

It's through prayer that we can express our appreciation, confess our sins, give thanks, and present our request to God. Jesus emphasizes the importance of prayer in Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Apostle Paul encouraged us to, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Regular prayer will help deepen your trust in God and gets us in alignment with his will. If you are suffering and struggling with doubt, I would suggest you just sit quietly with God, and when you feel comfortable, ask him to help you understand the purpose of your pain.

God does not let us suffer without reason. Every time we hurt, it is an opportunity to heal. To do God's work. And I know that sentiment may not comfort a parent grieving loss of a child, but God will help you understand. You just have to ask him.

Spiritual Practices: Meditation

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Jason: Another spiritual practice is meditation. Now, at face value, it may seem like prayer and meditation are kind of one and the same.

However, meditation involves deeply pondering scripture and God's truth, allowing them to fill your heart and your mind. In Psalm 1:2, it reads, "But whose delight is in the law of the Lord? And who meditates on his law day and night." And in this context, the law of the Lord represents God's entire word, not just the law portion or the first five books of the Bible.

And this represents doing more than just reading the Bible. This verse teaches us to do more than just read it, but consider what God is teaching us through scriptures. Martin Luther said that he could not live in a paradise without the word of God, but he could live well enough in hell with it. This verse represents the importance of spending time contemplating the Bible and carefully considering His message.

And it's through meditation that we realize God's word and gain the insight and guidance we need for our lives. If you're hurt, you need guidance. You need that guidance. Joshua 1:8 also illustrates the importance of this practice, "Keep this book of the law always on your lips. Meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Look, Eastern meditation is about emptying the mind and seeking inward, but for Christians, meditation represents filling the mind with God's message and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you about life on earth as well as eternity.

Spiritual Practices: Fasting

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Jason: The next one on the list is fasting. Now fasting is a process by which we voluntarily abstain from food or other comforts so that we can focus on seeking God. Fasting is a powerful practice that will humble us and heighten our spiritual sensitivity. We learn about fasting from Jesus in Matthew 6:16- 18, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do for they disfigure their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, they have received the reward in full. But when you fast, put your oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your father who is unseen and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." In these verses, Jesus is teaching us that fasting is a personal sacrifice that is between us and God.

And back in the ancient world, the Pharisees wanted to make sure everyone knew that they were fasting so they would take on the appearance of agony. So everyone would know and would look at them in reverence. Look at these guys, they're fasting. They must be so holy. Their reward was the attention they got from others.

But in contrast, Jesus is teaching us to take care of ourselves and keep it secret so that only God will notice. Temporarily giving up something that is a comfort, such as food or maybe social media accounts. Represents handing this over to God in trust. Basically it's a trust building exercise with the Creator trust fall with God.

If you are struggling with your belief, pick a thing and give it up for a period handed over to God and trust him to care for your need. it could be 24 hours, maybe longer, but understand this. If you do pick food, be absolutely sure you take measures to ensure you're medically sound during this period. Do plenty of research and speak to your physician before you do any sort of food or water fasting.

Spiritual Practices: Worship

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Jason: Next on the list is worship, which is the act of honoring and glorifying God through song, praise, and adoration. It is an expression of our love and devotion to Him. In Psalms 95:6, it invites us to worship, "Come, let us bow down in worship. Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker."

True worship involves more than just an outward expression. It represents reverence from the heart. This might be difficult if we're struggling with our faith. In John 4:24, Jesus reminds us, "God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the spirit and in truth." True worship isn't found in places and trappings, but in spirit and truth. Worshiping in the spirit means that we are concerned with the spiritual realities, not realities of this world.

Worshipping in truth means that we worship according to God's word and you come to God in truth Not in some pretense or fake display of spirituality So what I mean what I'm saying here is this if you are having a hard time believing in God, come to him and worship and honestly profess your doubt and invite God to fill you with truth and with the Spirit But be honest with the Lord and give him the opportunity to gift you with the hope and and love that you need.

Spiritual Practices: Service

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low in his footsteps. Matthew: 20:28

In Galatians 5:13, "Serve one another humbly in love." If you are seeking God in this world, service will help you get there. By mimicking the love of Jesus, it will distract your doubts and fill you with joy. And when it does, it will be a reminder that God is there and God is responsible for the joy.

Spiritual Practices: Solitude

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Jason: Now, believe it or not, another spiritual practice is solitude with God. Notice I didn't say isolation, which is a loneliness that occurs when we react negatively to our environment and surroundings. Basically, you can be a room full of people and still feel isolated and alone. It's basically something we feel internally.

s and prayed." In Psalms: 46:10

Solitude fosters a deeper awareness of God's presence. And if you're suffering from broken faith, that's a good thing to do. If you're hurting, you need that to hear his guidance. Sometimes when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I'll go to a park that's just down the road a little bit. I'll sit there and let my heart and my mind just extend out and reach out to God without words, without actions, just stillness and a deep connection with the father.

Spiritual Practices: Fellowship

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Jason: Okay, the last one on my list of spiritual disciplines is fellowship with other believers. This is vital for encouragement, accountability and spiritual growth or even spiritual healing. In Acts 2:42, the early church exemplifies this. "They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

Also, Hebrews: 10:24

Fellowship gives you and me the opportunity to strengthen our faith together. It provides support to one another in our spiritual journeys. If your faith is lacking, let your brothers and sisters fill that gap with their own faith. If you have trusted friends in the faith, talk to them about what you're going through and let them reflect the love of Christ back towards you.

These are just a few spiritual disciplines that can help draw us back towards God and transform our lives through prayer, meditation, fasting, worship, service, solitude and fellowship. We cultivate a vibrant and dynamic relationship with God, committing to one or more of these practices. Helps us remember the words of James 4:8, "Come near to God and he will come near to you."

Rebuilding Faith

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Jason: Okay, so now let's talk about rebuilding and strengthening our faith. This is a deeply personal and transformational journey. Whether your faith has been shaken by life's trials, disappointments, or even disillusionment, many of us face moments where our faith feels fractured, but these are opportunities for our faith to be renewed and grow. Now rebuilding the faith involves returning to the foundational truths of God's word, seeking his presence, allowing his love to restore and strengthen us.

d doubts we are facing. Psalm: 51:10

t in times of trouble. Romans: 10:17

Another important step is to seek God's presence through prayer, which I've talked about, but it allows us to communicate our fears, hopes, and desires while also seeking guidance and comfort. We're encouraged by Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus."

It is through prayer that we can reach out and invite God to join us in our pain and doubt opening up to his peace and perspective as a crucial step in rebuilding faith and healing our wounds. Guys, prayer is so powerful. It is our way of speaking to the creator of the universe, the father of all and source of love and truth.

h rather than our own. Isaiah: 40:31

If you're struggling with your faith right now, you're probably in a very uncomfortable place. Your doubt, your, your trust has been shaken. And here I am telling you to lean on the very thing that feels like the source of your pain. But I assure you, God is not where your pain comes from. He is where your healing will come from.

If you're willing to let him heal you for fear of sounding cliche, this world is broken. The people in this world are sinners, and we can absolutely be hurt here physically, mentally, psychologically. But if you can push past that and start looking for the hand of God. I assure you he will show up and he'll show you his beauty.

plan for your life. Jeremiah: 29:11

Rebuilding faith is a daily commitment. James 2:26 reminds us that our faith and action are intertwined, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead. So also faith apart from works is dead."

Conclusion

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Jason: If you are struggling in your faith right now, if you've been hurt by someone in the faith, Or by a church, or whatever.

If your faith has been tested. By challenging losses, a loss of a loved one, loss of anything, understand that you are not alone. You're not alone in your grief and you are not alone in spirit because God is with you always. If you are listening to this episode and this message resonates with you, please give yourself back to the people can be hurtful.

And this world is not fair, but God is fair and just. He loves you, and he wants you to know his joy. Don't give up on having faith in Christ died so that you and I can have an eternal home so that we can know salvation and have a relationship with the father. And he is there. He is waiting for you to ask for help.

Well, that's the episode for today. Thank you so much for listening and be sure to check out the show notes for my website and social media. Feel free to reach out to me. share your experience. Give me feedback on this episode and others. Just head over to https://myministrymission.com and check it out until next time.

Remember to love each other. Remember to read your Bibles and may the Lord bless you and keep you. God bless everyone.

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