By Winnie Anderson // Empowerment // EEW Magazine Online

It’s easy to say, I believe God. But do you really?

When you are truly living by faith, there is evidence of that in your daily walk. A solid foundation of faith changes your life in all the best ways, but doubt and fear impacts your life in all the worst ways. Are you believing, or are you doubting and fearing?

Here are 5 signs that show you that you aren’t trusting God:

Sign #1: You’re worrying. Are you anxious, uneasy and dwelling on your problems? If so, worry has a hold on you, and this is one of the biggest indicators that your faith is lacking. When the worrywart in you takes over, you begin thinking about all the negative possibilities. You grow more concerned that the worst will happen. If this is you, it’s time to shake yourself, and stop worry in its tracks. Do this by declaring the word of God, clinging to His promises and believing He’ll do what His word says.

Sign #2: You’re sulking. Have you experienced a disappointment or setback and found yourself retreating, feeling gloomy, shutting down, and wallowing in despair? When this happens, that means you’re concentrating on life’s undesirable outcomes instead of trusting God to work negative situations out for your good. Rather than sulking, start praising God in advance for a turnaround and declaring by faith that He’s shifting things in your favor!

Sign #3: You’re feeling pessimistic. Is your mind telling you that things won’t work out for you, and you’re getting your hopes up for nothing? Are toxic thoughts controlling your expectations? If this is happening, it’s time to fight back with the word of God. Otherwise, a pessimistic, defeatist mindset will rob you of hope and cause you to anticipate bad things. Ask God to help you get out of that funk. If you ask, He’ll step in to renew your mind and prepare you to receive all He has for you.

Sign #4: You’re struggling to rest. Has there been a time when you had so much on your plate and on your mind that you felt restless? This restlessness may have manifested in lack of sleep. Or it may have created an internal war that made it impossible for you to remain calm, composed and confident. When you reach a restless state, you can be sure that worry, fear and anxiety have triple-teamed you, beaten you down, and stolen your peace. The only way to get free is by committing all your worries to God, casting your cares at His feet, and letting Him lift your burdens.

Sign #5: You’re trying to control everything. People that always need to be in control, at their core, are scared. They think they need to manipulate circumstances to ensure favorable outcomes. But being a control freak is exhausting, and it never ends up working out the way you hoped it would it anyway. Fear says, I have to control everything. Faith says, God is already in control of everything. Therefore, I’m in good hands. Let Jesus take the wheel. He’s a much better driver than you are.

If you are exhibiting any of these signs, it’s time to make a decision. Will you choose faith or continue this negative, exhausting cycle?  

If you choose faith, you’ll be so glad you did, because you will experience divine favor, peace, joy, and blessings.