Five Faith Catalysts: # 5 – Pivotal Circumstances

by flaivoloka – from www.sxc.hu

This is the last in this series.  Please check out the other posts.

# 5 Pivotal Circumstances

Everyone’s faith journey has some “defining moments.”  These are circumstances that happen either good or bad that shape our faith. I am speaking of good things like:  a marriage, choosing a Christian college, getting a promotion, going on a mission trip, getting asked to speak for the first time.  I am also speaking of bad things like:  a divorce, prolonged illness, loosing a job, getting cancer, loosing a friend or family member.

There is no way for churches or parents to program and create these into believer’s lives in order to build faith.  The bottom line is that life impacts our faith!  The difference in whether these harm or bless our faith is their interpretation.  The conclusions we draw when we experience events either drive us to or away from God.

Andy Stanley suggests that our worldview and our relationships at the time of the event determine how we will interpret the event (location 1561, Kindle).  I think he is right on target with this assertion.

This is why it is so important to:

• Have a basic understanding of God and the problem of evil and suffering.  We need to view the world through Scripture.  A Christian worldview is so essential to building and maintaining faith.
• To surround ourselves with strong Christians who will encourage and support us when times are good and bad.

Some Tips for Parents

1. Be open and honest with your kids about the trials and sufferings of this world.  Don’t give them the idea that life will always go perfect if they just have faith in Jesus.  
2. Seek to surround your kids with strong influences.  Be concerned with who is advising and counseling your children.
3. Teach them to be thankful when blessed, and faithful when suffering.  Job is a great example because God was the center of his life when he was rich, and when he was suffering.  God was always His hope and answer.

Some Tips for Churches

1. We need to consciously determine to walk with people who are suffering.  It is not enough to just provide meals after funerals, we have to be there for them 6 months later still walking with them through the grief.  Rather than pull away, we must engage brethren when they are suffering.  
2. We need to teach regularly on the character of God and the nature of His created world.  We need give a reasoned defense of the problem of evil, pain, and suffering.  
3. We need to share faith stories of those who used positive and negative events to build their faith.  These stories will give hope and courage to those in the midst of trials and events.
4. Churches need to seek to build close and deep relationships between its members so they can support, counsel, and strengthen one another. 

“When we are able to find God in the midst of life’s pivotal circumstances, our faith is strengthened. When we help people recognize God in the midst of their life circumstances, their faith is strengthened. Pivotal circumstances test, and therefore potentially strengthen, our confidence in God. For that to happen, people need context. A biblical worldview. And often, they will need someone to help them interpret what’s happening.” (Stanley, Kindle Locations 1612-1615)

When you consider your “defining moments” that increased your faith, what factors caused you to move toward God rather than away from Him?