Being a Christian is not just about attending church or reading the Bible—it’s about standing strong in the face of trials. True faith in Christ puts us in direct conflict with the devil, and every real Christian will be tested. Yet, many people today abandon their faith at the first sign of trouble. They rush from one church to another, from one prophet to another, looking for quick solutions. When prayers seem delayed, they turn to herbalists, witch doctors, or other spiritual practices, hoping for a miracle. They try different baptisms, spiritual baths, or anointed oils, thinking the next one will work. But real faith does not jump from place to place looking for answers. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). Stability in faith means trusting God, even when things don’t happen as fast as we want.
Faith that wavers in hard times is not true faith. Saint Augustine once said, “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” But today, many Christians believe only what they can see immediately. Like the Israelites who built a golden calf because Moses delayed in returning from the mountain, people today create their own gods when they feel God is taking too long. Instead of waiting on God, they rush to prophets, mystics, and spiritual healers for quick fixes. The spiritual marketplace is booming with people selling “miracles” for a price. But true faith is not a business transaction. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Not because God rejects people, but because many reject true faith by constantly seeking alternatives.
The Bible is not just a book to be read—it is a book to be studied, understood, and lived by. It is “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). But many people don’t take time to understand it. They prefer hearing prophecies from men rather than reading God’s Word for themselves. It is easier to buy a “blessed” item than to spend time in prayer. But faith is not about shortcuts. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13). The path of quick solutions is always wide and crowded, but it leads away from true faith.
True Christianity is tested in difficult times. Job lost everything—his wealth, his health, and his children—but he still trusted God. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15). This is what real faith looks like. But today, many people give up too easily. “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ,” said Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The cross is not a symbol of comfort; it is a symbol of suffering. Jesus carried His cross, and every Christian must carry theirs too. But instead of enduring trials, many drop their faith when things get hard. They prefer an easier way, forgetting that faith without challenges is not faith at all.
The modern church is full of people looking for instant miracles instead of real transformation. Some pray on Sunday but seek help from witch doctors on Monday. The Bible warns, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too” (1 Corinthians 10:21). Yet, many try to do both. In the past, Christians were willing to die for their faith. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,” said Tertullian. But today, even small problems make people doubt God. Many no longer have the patience to wait for God’s timing. If prayers are not answered quickly, they move on, looking for another way. But true faith stays firm, no matter how long the wait.
Christianity is not a supermarket where you pick what you like and leave what you don’t. It is a commitment to trust God completely. The early Christians were thrown to lions, yet they refused to deny Christ. Today, people give up their faith over smaller struggles. “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). Strength in faith does not come from seeing miracles—it comes from trusting God even when miracles don’t happen. The three Hebrew boys in the Bible told the king, “Our God is able to deliver us, but even if He does not, we will not serve your gods” (Daniel 3:17-18). That is the kind of faith that the world is losing today.
The biggest danger to modern Christianity is not persecution but self-destruction. Not because God rejects people, but because people walk away from Him. A faith that turns to witch doctors or prophets at every challenge was never strong to begin with. A trust that disappears in hard times was never real trust. The church does not need more miracle services—it needs believers who will remain faithful even without miracles. It needs people who will pray even when answers don’t come quickly. It needs Christians who will stand firm, no matter what. Until then, the true meaning of Christianity will continue to fade, replaced by a culture of people who run away the moment things get tough.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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