Blake Robert Templeton speaks to people in deep hardship, arguing that genuine faith is forged in struggle, not performed. He urges honest prayer that acknowledges total dependence on God, saying the valley builds a faith that cannot be taken away.
If you've had a tragedy in your life where everything feels very suppressive, very hard, and very confusing, this is for you. I want to talk to you about the valley. It's where real faith gets built, not displayed. So if you're having trouble with faith right now, hear me out. Don't be ashamed of the struggle. Just be honest to God about the struggle because God already knows, and he just wants you to stop pretending he doesn't know. The most powerful prayer you could pray right now doesn't sound like a sermon. It sounds like someone fully vulnerable who's real with God, knows they can do nothing without God. And when you get through this, and you will, you won't just have a testimony. You will finally know the difference between the faith that you performed and the faith that you built. And no one can take that from you.
