Faith on the Pendulum: Finding Steadiness in the Swings
Key Passage
Psalm 42:5 (AMP)
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.”
Devotional Theme
Even the most faithful hearts experience seasons of emotional and spiritual swings. We go from feeling unstoppable in our faith to suddenly questioning everything we thought we knew… The goal of our walk with God isn’t to flatten those swings, it’s to find steadiness within them. The same God who walks with us on the mountain still holds us in the valley. The difference is our awareness of His presence, not His position.
Faith isn’t a straight line; it’s a living relationship. Relationships move, stretch, and sometimes strain, but when they’re anchored in love, they endure. Our relationship with God is no different. The question isn’t whether our faith will wobble, it’s whether we’ll let the wobble drive us closer to Him or away.
Biblical Examples of Emotional Faith
The Bible doesn’t hide the emotional pendulum of its heroes; it reveals it!
David poured out his soul in Psalms that swung between despair and delight. One verse he’s asking, “Why have You forsaken me?” and the next he’s declaring, “I will yet praise You.” David’s faith didn’t falter because he felt deeply; it deepened because he took every feeling straight to God!
Elijah, after calling down fire from heaven and witnessing the power of God firsthand, ran into the wilderness in fear and exhaustion, asking God to take his life. The same prophet who stood boldly before hundreds of false prophets now hid under a broom tree—proof that even the strong grow weary…
Peter stepped out of the boat in a moment of incredible faith, then sank in the same sea moments later when his focus shifted from Jesus to the storm. But even then, Jesus didn’t scold him for sinking—He simply reached out and caught him.
These examples remind us that emotional swings don’t disqualify us; they reveal our humanity. God doesn’t condemn us for the swing- He meets us in it.
Why the Swing Happens
There’s a reason our hearts fluctuate. Some of it is simply being human—we’re emotional, sensory beings, affected by circumstances, hormones, exhaustion, and the highs and lows of life. Yet within that humanity, God is teaching us to rely on His constancy.
There’s also a spiritual dimension. The enemy loves to take advantage of our emotional fatigue, whispering lies when we’re weak. When you’re on a spiritual high, he’ll tell you it won’t last. When you’re low, he’ll tell you it’s permanent. Either way, the goal is the same, to make you doubt the steadfastness of God!
But those swings also serve a formational purpose. God allows us to feel the fluctuation so we’ll learn where our faith truly rests. It’s easy to trust when life is stable, but when the pendulum swings wildly, that’s when roots deepen. The shaking reveals what’s planted in shallow soil versus what’s anchored in bedrock…
God is not after emotional perfection; He’s after spiritual maturity. And maturity isn’t measured by how steady we feel—it’s measured by how quickly we return to Him when we don’t.
Steadying the Heart
When life feels like a pendulum, one day you’re bold and confident, the next you’re uncertain and tired—the key isn’t to resist the swing but to anchor through it.
The first anchor is God’s character. Everything around us changes, but He doesn’t. His faithfulness doesn’t depend on our feelings. When your emotions fluctuate, remind your soul that His nature remains the same: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies are new every morning.” His consistency becomes our calm…
The second anchor is worship. Praise isn’t only for the days you feel strong—it’s the lifeline that pulls your focus from your feelings to His faithfulness. Worship doesn’t require stability to start; it brings stability as you lift your eyes from the storm to the Savior. It’s how the spirit finds alignment when the soul feels unsteady.
The third anchor is the Word. Scripture steadies what emotion shakes. When your heart wavers, the Word reminds you of what’s true, regardless of how you feel... Every promise in God’s Word is a fixed point of truth in a moving world. It teaches your emotions to submit to eternal reality. When you speak His Word out loud, you’re not denying your feelings; you’re declaring authority over them! The Word becomes both anchor and compass—holding you steady and pointing you forward.
The fourth anchor is waiting well. Waiting isn’t passive- it’s an act of faith! To wait on the Lord is to rest your soul in the truth that He’s still working, even when you can’t see it. It’s the quiet confidence that every valley will eventually echo with praise again.
And the fifth anchor is prayer. Prayer keeps the line of connection open, even when the heart feels silent. There will be times when prayer feels dry or distant, when your words seem to fall flat and heaven feels quiet. But faith-filled prayer isn’t about feeling heard; it’s about knowing you are. Every whispered word, every tear, every sigh of “help me, Lord” reaches His heart. Prayer steadies the swing because it keeps you tethered to His presence. Even when you don’t feel Him, prayer reminds you He’s near.
You may swing, but you’re not lost! You may waver, but you’re not abandoned! Stability doesn’t come from controlling the motion—it comes from trusting the anchor…
Scripture Cross-References
Psalm 13:5–6 – David moves from anguish to trust.
Isaiah 40:31 – Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.
2 Corinthians 12:9–10 – Strength perfected in weakness.
James 1:2–4 – Testing produces endurance and maturity.
Hebrews 6:19 – Hope is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
