Why Your Faith Feels So Heavy Right Now (You’re Not Alone)

If your faith feels heavier than it used to, you’re not alone.

You still believe.
You still love God.
But it feels harder to focus… harder to pray… harder to stay present.

Many Christians today feel spiritually tired, mentally overwhelmed, and quietly discouraged—and they don’t know why. This video isn’t about guilt or trying harder. It’s about understanding what’s shaping our minds, why discouragement feels so common right now, and how Scripture calls us to respond with clarity, rest, and hope.

In this episode of Behind the Mike Podcast, we talk about:
• Why spiritual exhaustion doesn’t mean weak faith
• How distraction and discouragement subtly reshape our thinking
• The difference between conviction and condemnation
• What the Bible says about guarding and renewing the mind
• How to fight back without burning out or drowning in shame

This is a pastoral, honest conversation for anyone who feels worn down but still wants to follow Jesus faithfully.

👉 You’re not broken. You’re not failing. And you’re not losing your faith.

If this conversation resonates, consider subscribing for more thoughtful, Scripture-grounded conversations that meet real life where it actually is.

📌 Want to go deeper?
I’ve linked a related message below that focuses more directly on spiritual warfare and how Scripture teaches us to fight back.
https://youtu.be/h1rdok1MuWY?si=4uAW54wA4yCgpelC

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why faith feels heavier than it used to
01:30 You’re not failing—you’re overwhelmed
04:00 Why so many Christians feel exhausted right now
10:00 How subtle drift shapes our thinking
17:00 What’s discipling you without your permission
23:00 The lies we’ve normalized
30:00 How to fight back without trying harder
36:00 How the gospel brings clarity and rest

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Transcript

0:00

Hey, let me ask you something. Honestly. Have you noticed that your faith feels heavier than it used to? You still believe and you still love God. But it feels harder to focus, harder to pray, harder to stay present. And quietly start wondering what's wrong with me? Well, if that's you, let me say this clearly. You're not broken. You're not failing. And you're definitely not alone. What you're experiencing isn't random, and it isn't a lack of faith. There are subtle forces shaping how we think, how we feel, how we engage our faith, often without us even noticing. And so today, I want to talk about why this feels so common right now and how we respond without burning ourselves out or drowning in guilt. So here we go. Welcome to Behind the Mike Podcast. I'm Mike Stone, and today I want to talk about something that quietly shapes how we think, how we feel, and how we live our faith, often without us noticing. I'm calling this the war for your mind. It isn't a message about fear. It's it's not about seeing demons behind every problem. And it's definitely not about trying harder or doing more. This is about awareness because Scripture spends an enormous amount of time talking about the mind. Romans 12 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. 2 Corinthians says there's a real battle for our thoughts. And Jesus constantly challenged how people thought, not just what they did. And so if so many believers today feel spiritually exhausted, discouraged, or foggy. We should probably ask why? Okay, let's start here. If faith feels heavier than it used to. That doesn't automatically mean your faith is weaker. It may mean you are more exposed than ever before. Think about the world that we live in. We are constantly processing information, news, opinions, alerts, outrage, comparison, hot texts, endless scrolling. We weren't designed to carry that much noise. And yet we often blame ourselves spiritually for what is actually emotional overload. And so here's the sentence I want you to hear. You're not failing spiritually. You're overstimulated emotionally. Now, that's not true for everyone, but I think in general, that's kind of where we're at today. There's a moment in Scripture that captures this perfectly. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah has just experienced one of the greatest spiritual victories in the entire Bible. Fire falls from heaven. God shows up powerfully and immediately after Elijah collapses. He runs. He isolates. He tells God he's done. But God doesn't rebuke him. God feeds him. God let him sleep. God restores him. Why? Well, because victory didn't make Elijah weak. Exhaustion did. And many believers today aren't rebellious. They're just tired. Now, here's where things get uncomfortable, but important. When we talk about spiritual warfare, we often imagine something dramatic. But Scripture shows us something much quieter. You see, the enemy doesn't usually attack with outright lies. He does, but not often. He prefers subtlety. Like in Genesis, he doesn't deny God. He questions Him. In the wilderness, he quotes Scripture--just without context. The real danger isn't temptation that screams. It's distraction that whispers. Here's a line worth remembering. Drift always feels harmless. No one wakes up and decides to abandon their faith. They drift. They coast. They delay. And you don't notice. Drift until you look back and realize how far you've gone. Have you ever been there? I have. The enemy's strategy isn't usually rebellion, it's replacement. Replacing truth with half truths and replacing devotion with busyness. Replacing discernment with emotion. And it works because it feels normal. So let me ask you something. Honestly. What's shaping your thoughts lately? Because everything you consume, everything you give your attention to, that's discipling you. Social media, disciples, news cycles, disciple, fear based content, disciples, even religious noise can disciple. Just because something has a Bible verse attached to it doesn't mean it brings peace. Psalm one says, the blessed person is careful about what they walk in, stand in and sit in. Proverbs tells us to guard our hearts because everything flows from there. And here's the hard truth. What you consume eventually tells you who God is. If most of what you take in fuels anger, fear, or comparison, it will shape how you see him. Not overnight takes time. Now let's gently name some lies that many of us have accepted as normal. Okay. Lie number one. This is just how life is now. Number two. I'll get serious about my faith later. Number three, God is disappointed in me. Lie. Number four. Everyone else has it together spiritually except me. Let me be clear about something. Condemnation never comes from God. Conviction always comes with hope. Romans eight says there is no condemnation for those in Christ. Jesus said he came to give life. Not quiet despair. If the voice you're listening to leaves you hopeless, ashamed, or paralyzed. That is not from God. God's voice invites. The enemy's voice accuses. And learning the difference really matters. So how do we fight this battle? Well, not by yelling louder. Not by cramming in more content. Not by shaming ourselves into discipline. The battle for the mind begins with renewal, not willpower. Here are a few simple but powerful shifts that can help with that. First, awareness before action. Notice what drains you. Notice what fuels you. Second, fewer inputs, but deeper inputs. Less noise. More truth. Third Scripture as formation, not ammunition. The Bible isn't just something to quote. It's something to dwell in and forth. Community over isolation. Spiritual battles are rarely one alone. Ephesians talks about the armor of God, but notice something important. The armor protects what is already alive. It doesn't replace relationship. You don't win this war by being louder. You win it by being anchored. And here's the good news. Jesus already won the decisive battle. The cross didn't just secure your eternity. It secured your identity. You're not fighting for victory. You're fighting from victory. When Jesus said it is finished. He wasn't just talking about forgiveness. He was talking about freedom. Freedom from fear. He defeated it. Freedom from condemnation. Freedom from the lie that you're on your own. A part of grace. Saving your soul also comes with stabilizing your mind. Just focusing on God's word that stabilizes our mind, our heart and our actions. Well, let me say this clearly as we close. If something in this stirred your heart today. That's not guilt. It's grace. You're not losing your faith. You're learning how to guard it. If you know someone who's been unusually quiet lately. Share this with them. If this kind of conversation helps you, then consider subscribing to Behind the Mike Podcast on YouTube. It lets me know that these discussions matter. I'd love to hear from you in the comments. What part of this resonated most with you? Tell me what you'd like to hear in the future and thanks for spending this time with me. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior and you want to follow him and be like him, then you're probably not weak. You're aware and that my friend, is where victory begins.