I was inspired to post this passage by the book I’m reading, Hungry for More of Jesus: Experiencing His Presence in These Troubled Times by…wait for it…David Wilkerson.

A coincidence? I think not!

“Too often, when afflictions begin showing up in such believers’ lives, they become offended. You’ve probably heard such “offense expressed by Christians who have faced dire afflictions. They have read God’s Word, they have claimed certain promises, they have prayed earnestly, but still their trial continues. And, over time, because they haven’t seen an answer to their prayers, they become offended by the Word they’ve been clinging to.

At some point, a seed of unbelief is planted in their heart. And soon they begin to question God’s faithfulness. They can’t shake the nagging thought that the Lord has failed to keep his promises to them.

They trusted in him for a while. Whenever you talked with them, their conversation was full of faith, and they testified of God’s trustworthiness. But now you begin to hear little doubts in their speech. Instead of faith, you hear questions, remarks that betray an inner unbelief.

Make no mistake, Satan feeds those growing doubts. Over time, prayer becomes a burden to such believers. Their love for God’s Word begins to fade until they never pick up their Bible anymore. Eventually, their passion for Christ is reduced to a flicker.”