Faith in the Cracks: When Life Isn’t Pretty but God Is Still With You

Image by Md Nirob Bhuiyan from Pixabay

Some days, faith feels like…well…like steady breathing.I like those days.

Other times? It feels like I’m dragging a 200-pound weight backwards up a muddy hill while the rain’s blasting sideways.

Have you been there, or am I the only duck on this pond? If you have, this is for you. It’s not a magical formula, but hopefully, some helpful thoughts.

When Your Life Feels Like a Dumpster Fire

I’m typically a glass-half-full person. I love encouraging folks (and myself, of course.) But I also don’t think we talk enough about the hard days. How to respond to them.

You know, when life’s a wreck. When God feels distant. When the verses you memorized sound empty.

Your prayers? You try to pray with faith, but your words feel like they’re bouncing off the ceiling. Have you ever been there? Are you still with me?

That’s okay. Those prayers count, too.

Cracks Happen

We all have them.

In our plans.

Our marriages.

Our finances.

Our health.

Our mental health.

Our hope.

Sometimes it feels like they’re all happening at the same time.

Tear rolls down a cheek in close-up of an eye with long eyelashes. The grayscale image conveys a mood of sadness or emotion.

Because staying doesn’t mean fixing everything on your timeline. It means sitting with you in the wreckage. In the dark. In the waiting room.God stays with you — not above you, not just watching from the balcony.

He’s not waving a magic wand. He’s holding your hand.

That’s the part that’s hard to swallow, right?

We think if God is here, then shouldn’t things start getting better?

Shouldn’t the anxiety ease? The job open up? The answers arrive in neat, bulleted lists?

Just like you, I’ve asked that question. Do you know what I’ve found? My eyes were fixed on the problem. That’s all I could see.

But the thing is, if I look “by faith” (even when I don’t feel it) to a promise, little by little I begin to see and feel seeds of His presence and wisdom.

I also let my mind focus on the many things that God has done and how His Word has been true for me in past experiences.

Please understand this: You’re not being punished. You’re being held.

Even if you can’t feel it. Even if the mess hasn’t seemed to move an inch.

Real Faith Isn’t Polished

Faith isn’t about always feeling God. It’s not about perfect prayers or flawless belief. A lot of the time, faith is just choosing to believe, anyway. Doing it afraid. God can handle it. He’s not fragile. He’s not shocked.

God Is in the Grit

We act like God only hangs out in our breakthroughs.In the healing. The fixed. The posted-on-Sunday-highlights.

But I think He’s just as present — maybe more so — in:

• the bedroom floor breakdowns

• the “I don’t even know what to say right now” moments

  
  

That’s holy ground too. Doesn’t seem like it to us. But, it is to your Heavenly Lover.

Cracked Faith Still Counts

Don’t think for one second that your struggle disqualifies you. Cracked faith is still faith.

Still showing up? Still praying, even if it’s angry or messy or sarcastic? That counts.

You don’t have to hide your questions. Sometimes, they’re what bring you closer.

Honesty isn’t rebellion — it’s relationship.

If You’re in the Cracks Right Now…

You’re not broken beyond repair. You’re not failing. You’re not a bad Christian. You’re not alone. You’re human. And God is still God.

Some Days, Just Breathing Is Enough

Maybe all you can do today is whisper, “God, help.” That’s a prayer.

Faith doesn’t mean the pain disappears.It means God doesn’t. He’s there. In the silence. In the dark. In the cracks. And He’s not going anywhere.

Keep Going

You don’t have to feel strong to be strong.Sometimes just not giving up is victory.

So stay. Breathe. Cry if you need to. Pray if you can. Rest if you can’t.

And know this: Even in the cracks, God is right here, right now. Always.

© Gary L Ellis