Reverend Father John Chinenye Oluoma, a prominent Catholic priest in Abuja, has recently shared his insights on why some Christians continue to feel frustrated, sad, and listless despite engaging in extensive prayer routines.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Father Oluoma emphasized the crucial distinction between faith and expectations.
“Faith is not expectations,” he declared. “I’ve been trying to figure out why some Christians remain frustrated, sad, and listless despite the marathon prayers they do. The answer I get is faith. It is a problem of faith.”
Father Oluoma explained that true faith has a profound effect on a believer, filling the void left by unmet material desires. Citing Hebrews 11:1, he noted that faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the guarantee of things yet to be seen.”
He illustrated this with the example of Abraham, whose faith in God allowed him to live as though he already had a son, even before Isaac was born. This faith sustained Abraham and enabled him to obey God’s command to sacrifice Isaac.
The priest pointed out that if a person is praying for something, such as the fruit of the womb, but feels miserable and restless, they do not truly have faith, only expectations. He stressed that faith is more than expectation; it is an experience that remains steadfast regardless of outcomes. Expectations, on the other hand, can lead to disillusionment when unmet.
Father Oluoma also referred to the biblical figures of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who faithfully served God and lived peacefully despite their childlessness. Their calm and contentment stemmed from genuine faith, not mere expectations.
“Faith controls the moods of the possessor no matter the outcome of events,” he asserted. “It doesn’t fizzle out or diminish by outcomes.”
Father Oluoma urged Christians to build their faith through the word of God rather than focusing on expectations. He emphasized that faith comes from hearing the word of Christ, not from witnessing or hearing about miracles.
“Don’t build expectations, build faith,” he advised, encouraging believers to immerse themselves in the scriptures as the true source and nourishment of faith….Discover _More
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