"I Struggle Spiritually"

Being around youth often, I hear this phrase quite a bit: "I struggle spiritually." Many times it is accompanied with "Please pray for me." Now, I say I hear this from young people, but it's likely that people of all ages have similar thoughts. So, I want to give this phrase and request some attention to try and figure out what is going on and to provide an appropriate response. From one side, it's good that someone is admitting a struggle. Admitting that something is wrong is simply the first step to correcting a problem, but it doesn't end there. I asked the following question in a poll: "What does it mean when someone says they are struggling spiritually?" The answers I received can all be divided into two categories; it is either a faith issue or a lifestyle issue.

Both categories are a huge problem. I am talking about people who, for the most part, are active church members and consider themselves born-again Christians. A faith problem means either someone is doubting or does not have a full understanding of the gospel (insecure in their salvation, saved through works, etc.). A lifestyle problem means they either struggle with sin, addictions, Bible reading/prayer, and in general are not living how the Bible teaches, i.e., a life of sanctification. If a person raised his hand in church and said, "My marriage is struggling. Please pray for us," everyone would panic. People would be talking to one another and to that person to figure out what is going on and why the marriage is on the brink of destruction. Now, consider the reaction when someone says they "struggle spiritually." You might get a shoulder shrug or even some praise from people thinking "Hmm, this guy/girl is trying to get serious with God." We need to be mindful of what is going on.

Status

Hearing about this for a while now, I think the biggest danger lies in the fact that we begin to view this as our status. I can raise my hand in church and inform everyone I am struggling spiritually. No one will panic, I'll feel better about myself because I admitted something, and life will go on. It's sort of like that relationship status they used to have (still might) on Facebook. I designated myself as "struggling spiritually," but after church I forgot about my request and went to hang out at Starbucks. Let me clear something up. If you are struggling spiritually, this is cause for panic, and simply admitting your problem is not going to change anything. You are on the brink of a spiritual crisis, and this is cause to start crying out to God and find someone to talk to immediately. I might be generalizing a bit in this article, but it does bother me on how negligent we can be sometimes.

Struggle

Everyone goes through difficult times, the believer included. I've gone through my share of valleys, but in that time, I remember the urgency and desperation. Remembering the story of King David when he experienced downfall, it's fascinating reading the psalms of his repentance. He humbles himself before God like no other. He cries out to God in Psalm 51 "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge." Once David understood his situation, the repentance was sharp, deep, and urgent. If you have diagnosed yourself as spiritually struggling, how urgent is your response? How much does it really matter?

I asked a friend what comes to mind when someone tells you they are "struggling spiritually," and his response was "There is a lack of urgency when someone is so discrete," and I have to agree. Again looking at King David, someone who actually had a reputation to uphold, he did not spare himself. He was brutally honest and publicly humiliated and humbled himself; this was a man who wanted to get out of his struggling spiritual situation. The goal of this post is not to bring anyone down or belittle their requests but rather to expose the magnitude of that statement and to bring forth an appropriate response. If your conscience, your heart, and the Holy Spirit are speaking to you about your spiritual condition, and you have come to the conclusion that there is a problem, then panic! Humble before God deeply. Expose the problem to your elders, parents, and whoever else will listen. Be brutally honest, and take action. This is not simply a status that you label yourself with and keep living your life as before. God Bless You!