Why God Uses Difficult Seasons to Growth Your Faith

Everyone goes through difficult seasons.

Moments where life feels heavy, exhausting, or uncertain. Seasons where disappointment,
pressure, or pain make it easy to feel spiritually drained.

And in those moments, many people begin asking questions like:
Why would God allow hard seasons?
Can God still work when life feels overwhelming?
How does God grow your faith through difficult seasons?

In this first episode of Forward Extra, Pastor Justin and Pastor Jonston reflected on those
questions while discussing worship, spiritual growth, and what it means to pursue God’s
presence wholeheartedly.

One of the clearest themes throughout the conversation was this:

God often uses difficult seasons to lift us higher spiritually.

God Can Use Low Seasons to Draw You Closer

The conversation centered around Abraham’s journey and the reality that faith is not a sprint, it’s
a process.

Sometimes people find themselves in low seasons emotionally, spiritually, or mentally. Yet even
in those moments, God is still working.

Pastor Justin reflected on Genesis 13 and the way Abraham went into Egypt low, but eventually
came out stronger and lifted higher spiritually.

That’s important because difficult seasons do not always mean God has abandoned you.

Often, they become the very places where faith grows deepest.

Worship Changes Your Perspective

Pastor Jonston shared how worship creates “marking moments” in life – moments where people
encounter God so deeply that they carry the memory of His presence into future seasons.

That matters because worship shifts our focus.

Instead of becoming consumed by fear, anxiety, or discouragement, worship lifts our eyes back
toward God.

And when we remember who He is, faith begins to rise again.

One of the songs discussed during the conversation was Defender, specifically the line: “All I did
was worship.”

That truth carries weight.

Because sometimes victory does not come through striving harder, it comes through
surrendering and trusting God.

Faith Is Built by Remembering What God Has Already Done

Another major takeaway from the conversation was the importance of remembering God’s
faithfulness.

Faith grows when we look back and recognize the moments where God already carried us
through difficult situations.

Those reminders become anchors in future storms.

And often, the confidence we need today comes from remembering what God already brought
us through yesterday.

God Calls Us Higher Through His Presence

Throughout the episode, the conversation repeatedly returned to one central idea:

God is always calling His people higher.

Not higher in pride or status, but higher in intimacy, surrender, and spiritual maturity.

That’s why seeking God’s presence matters so deeply.

There’s a difference between seeking God’s hand and seeking His face.

Many people seek what God can do for them. However, spiritual growth deepens when we
simply desire Him for who He is.

Because ultimately, God Himself is the reward.

Hard Seasons Are Not Meant to Define You

The discussion also emphasized that valleys are temporary.

Psalm 84 describes passing through the Valley of Baca, a place associated with weeping, yet
God transforms it into a place of refreshing.

That means believers are not meant to stay trapped in difficult seasons forever.

God may lead people through valleys, but He also strengthens them while they walk through
them.

And often, people come out of those seasons stronger, wiser, and more dependent on Him than
before.

Presence First, People Second

One of the strongest leadership moments in this episode came through a simple phrase:

Presence first. People second.

The conversation reflected on the importance of stewarding both:
● The presence of God
● The people God entrusts to the church

Because ministry is not ultimately about programs, performance, or systems.

It’s about helping people encounter Jesus.

And when the church keeps the main thing the main thing, lives are changed.

Coming Back to Your First Love

As the conversation wrapped up, both pastors reflected on the importance of returning to a
genuine love for Jesus.

Not just religion.
Not just routine.
Not just church attendance.

But real relationship.

Because over time, people can accumulate disappointment, church hurt, distractions, and
spiritual baggage that slowly pull their attention away from what matters most.

That’s why returning to your “first love” matters so deeply.

Not because God moved away, but because sometimes people drift without realizing it.

And often, spiritual renewal begins by simply seeking His presence again.