Faith in Crisis – What would I do if my faith was in a crisis?

What would I do if my faith was in a crisis?  I mean a real crisis!  What if I was on trial for my faith?  Or you?

What if you or I were on trial for our faith? 

Would there be enough evidence to convict us or would we fail the test?

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Sometimes, I think  that the faith of Christians in the good old USA  is, in fact, on trial!  It is in a crisis!  Right now our country is in such a mess ( I really don’t want to go there)  But really we are in such a mess and Christians are being attacked daily for their faith, for their beliefs!  Many of them are standing true to what they believe and for that I am thankful for it helps to maintain the freedoms that we still have here.  Have you prayed for any of them lately? I need to pray fervently for the country I love and for the many who are standing true to their beliefs, not just for their sake, but for the sake of the whole country and for each one of us as an individual.

But I’ve wondered often …

What about me?

What if I were personally on trial?  Would I, as Daniel,  or as the three Hebrew children, stand true?  Would I reject the “King’s Food” believing that God could make a better way?  Would I be able to face the fiery furnace unafraid of death and unafraid of what might happen to my family?   Honestly, I really don’t know and I’m not sure I would or could know unless I was really faced with that day.  How about you?  Could you be a martyr for the Lord?

I recently read a book entitled Faith in Crisis, a book based on real life events from the Kuwait Hostage Crisis in the 1990’s.  The story tells of a missionary couple, Jim and Shirley Caroll:  Shirley had just left for the states with their seven children, and Jim, just days later, became trapped in the embassy.  There was no means of support for Shirley and Jim never knew if he would be alive from day to day.  Yet, both of them trusted God!  They never doubted that God knew what was best!  They both had peace in their hearts that they would one day be reunited.  God strengthened them from day to day,  met their needs continually, and kept their faith strong.  The story started in August of 1990 and miraculously ended in December of that same year.  I like what the author quotes at the end of his book:

Any remaining worries about Romans 8:28 evaporated.  Jesus was as real as ever.  He never changed, but I did.  And I knew if the episode had ended differently, that Romans 8:28 would still be true.

God is good – ALL THE TIME!   If we love Him and know Him then what He allows in our life are things that will work together for our good and the reason for that is found in the next verse Romans 8:29 so we can be conformed to His image.  Oh how He loves!  This is such a good thing to remember when our faith is in a crisis.

This story ended with a happy ending and for that I am glad.  Although I was amazed at how this couple let their faith in God stand strong, there are some things I did not care for in the book and therefore would not personally recommend it.  That would have to be your own choice.  These are things that went against my own personal convictions.  If you really want to know then contact me. 🙂  If you want to check it out yourself, here is one place you can get a copy. 

I’ve read many books and stories about those who faced trials regarding their faith.  Here is a list of some of my favorites:  You’ll want to read every one of these!

1. Rose’s Journey: A Christian in the Holocaust – Meet Rose’s faith in Yeshua, Jesus her Messiah, a faith which transformed her life and which shone brightly in the concentration camps where even people who despised her for being a Jew who believed in “that man” were drawn to her again and again to drink from the wellsprings of faith and hope which sustained her, and them.
2. Goodbye is Not Forever – A true story, Goodbye Is Not Forever serves as a vivid confirmation of God’s never-ending grace in the lives of his children.
3. Trapped In Hitler’s Hell Trapped in Hitler’s Hell is the true account of Holocaust horror but also of God’s miraculous mercy on a young girl who spent her teenage years desperately fighting for survival yet learning to trust in the One she had come to love. In this inspirational story Anita tells her tale of miraculously survival during the terror of Hitler’s reign when she was becoming a teen.
4. The Hiding Place Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker who became a heroine of the Resistance, a survivor of Hitler’s concentration camps
5. Captive in Iran Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh knew they were putting their lives on the line. Islamic laws in Iran forbade them from sharing their Christian beliefs
6. Rescue the Captors Held at gunpoint deep in the jungle and with little else to occupy his time, Russell got a hold of some paper and began to write. He told the story of his life and kept a record of his experience in the guerrilla camp. His “book” became a bridge to the men who held him hostage and now serves as the basis for this incredible true story of how God’s love penetrated a physical and ideological jungle.
7. In the Presence of My Enemies The gripping true story of American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham’s year as hostages in the Philippine jungle
8. When I Lay My Isaac Down Carol and Gene Kent’s son is in prison. When I Lay My Isaac Down tells their story and shares the transformation principles they learned about forgiveness and faith.
9. Time Changer (DVD-Fiction, but great movie!) Using a secret time machine, Anderson sends Carlisle over 100 years into the future, offering him a glimpse of where his beliefs will lead.
10. Sometimes I Prefer to Fuss These are the experiences of Verda and Larry Peet as missionaries in Northern Thailand. Their adventures learning to accept her life as a missionary include great stories about cultural adjustments and daily frustrations of missionary life.

Thank you to the publisher who has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookCrash.  In exchange I offered my review.