Where Are You Stuck in Your Faith—and How to Move Forward

Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the right things in your faith—but nothing is really changing? You read your Bible, you pray, you go to church… yet something inside you whispers, “Why doesn’t this feel alive?”

You’re not alone. Many women of faith hit a wall where things start to feel stagnant. It’s not that you don’t love God. It’s not that you aren’t trying. The truth is, you may be stuck in your faith without even realizing it.

Let’s talk about how to know if you’re stuck in your faith and the signs that show up when you’re living with little faith instead of great faith. We’ll explore three common places where women get stuck—when faith feels like a checklist, when it feels personal but private, and when serving turns into striving.

Most importantly, learn exactly what to do next to move forward, grow deeper, and step into the greater faith God has for you.

Little Faith vs. Great Faith

Jesus often pointed out “little faith” to His disciples. He wasn’t scolding them—He was inviting them to trust Him more deeply.

• Little faith looks like worry, striving, checking boxes, and keeping your faith contained.
• Great faith looks like confidence, freedom, and overflow—where God’s love transforms your inner life and spills or overflows into your work, relationships, and everyday choices.

The journey from little faith to great faith is ongoing. But the good news is this: if you feel stuck, it’s simply a sign that God is ready to grow you into more.

So let’s talk about three places you might feel stalled in your faith—and how to move forward.

Stuck Point 1: Faith Feels Like a Checklist—How to Move Forward

This may be where you are:

You’ve taken responsibility for your own faith, and that’s a good thing. But it’s starting to feel more like an obligation than a joy.

• You read the Bible because you “should.”
• You pray because you’re “supposed to.”
• You go to church because “it’s what Christians do.”

Picture it this way: You close your Bible after reading three chapters but can’t remember what you just read.

What to do next:

Shift from ritual to relationship. God doesn’t just want your checklist—He wants your heart. Instead of asking, “Did I do my quiet time?” ask, “How did I meet with God today?”

Try approaching Scripture not as information but as conversation. Instead of rushing to finish a passage, pause and pray, “Lord, what are You showing me about Yourself here?”

Try This: Slow Reading Scripture

Instead of rushing through a chapter or sticking to a reading plan just to “get it done,” pick one short passage (2–4 verses). For example, start with Psalm 23:1–3.

1. Read it aloud slowly once. Pay attention to the words that catch your attention.
2. Pause after each phrase. After “The Lord is my shepherd,” stop and ask, What does this mean for me today?
3. Repeat the passage again. This time, emphasize a different word in each phrase. For example: The LORD is my shepherd… The Lord IS my shepherd… The Lord is MY shepherd…
4. Pray the verse back to God. Turn it into a personal conversation: “Lord, thank You for being my shepherd. Help me trust You to lead me today.”
5. Sit in silence for 1–2 minutes. Let the truth settle in before moving on with your day.

This practice helps you shift from reading for information to listening for transformation. It turns your Bible time from a checklist into a relationship moment with God.

Remember: faith grows when it moves from duty to delight.

Stuck Point 2: Faith Feels Personal but Private—What to do Next

This may be where you are:

You genuinely love God. You worship Him, you treasure your quiet moments, and you know He’s real in your life. But your faith mostly stays inside. It doesn’t often flow into your work, your relationships, or how you interact with the world.

Your love for God is real—but it’s private.

Picture it this way: You feel full after worship on Sunday but struggle to carry it into Monday’s meeting.

What to do next:

Let your love overflow. Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God and love people (Mark 12:30–31). These aren’t separate steps—they’re inseparable.

Look for small ways to let your inner devotion shape your outer actions. Speak encouragement to a coworker. Practice integrity in a business decision. Offer kindness when it’s not expected.

When your personal love for God becomes public love for people, your faith moves from little to great.

Try This: Love Overflow Challenge

Instead of keeping your faith private and personal, choose to let it flow into the lives of others.

1. Each morning, pray: “Lord, who do You want me to encourage today?”
2. Pay attention to nudges during the day—maybe a coworker, friend, family member, or even a stranger.
3. Take one small, tangible action: send a text, write a note, buy a coffee, speak encouragement, or simply say thank you.
4. End your day by reflecting: How did God’s love flow through me today?

This practice helps your love for God move beyond the private and become visible in everyday actions, turning faith into overflow.

Stuck Point 3: Faith Feels Like Striving to Serve—A Better Way

This may be where you are:

You’ve moved into loving people—serving, giving, pouring yourself out. On the outside, it looks like strong faith. But inside, you’re exhausted. You’ve been running on your own energy, and the joy has faded into duty.

You’re pouring out, but you’re not being filled.

Picture it this way: You say yes to serving again, but secretly you’re dreading it.

What to do next:

Anchor your service in God’s strength, not your own. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches… apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Service rooted in Him is sustainable. Service done in your own strength will eventually drain you.

Before you give to others, take time to receive from God. Let His love fill you so that what you pour out is overflow—not obligation.

This is how serving shifts from striving to Spirit-filled.

Try This: Anchor Before Action

Before rushing into serving or pouring yourself out for others, pause and re-center in God’s strength.

1. Pray before serving: “Lord, fill me with Your Spirit so I serve from Your strength, not mine.”
2. As you serve—whether at home, at work, or in ministry—whisper a simple prayer: “For You, Jesus.”
3. Pay attention to moments of peace, joy, or strength that clearly come from Him.
4. Afterward, jot down one way you saw God’s presence in your serving.
5. Thank Him for being the source that sustains you.

This practice transforms serving from striving to Spirit-filled, helping you love people without burning out.

Moving from Little Faith to Great Faith

If any of those “picture this” moments sounded familiar—closing your Bible without remembering what you read, feeling full on Sunday but empty by Monday, or dreading another act of service—you’re not alone. These stuck points aren’t failures. They’re simply signs that your faith is ready to grow deeper.

The good news is, none of these places are permanent. They are invitations. If you feel like you’ve plateaued, it means God is calling you into the next stage of growth.

And here’s the secret: you don’t have to force it. You don’t need to try harder or pile on more spiritual activities. What you need is a plan that matches how God uniquely designed you to connect with Him.

That’s what moves you from little faith to great faith—creating rhythms that actually fit your life and allow God’s Spirit to move freely in you.

This is exactly what the Personalized Faith Plan (PFP) is designed to do. It helps you uncover how God wired you—through your heart, soul, mind, and strength—and then gives you practical ways to live it out. No guilt, no overwhelm. Just steady growth that feels natural and sustainable.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, I want you to know—you don’t have to figure this out alone. You can explore the Personalized Faith Plan here to see how it can help, or let’s have a chat and talk through what might be the best next step for you.

Because God didn’t design you for a faith that just gets you by—He designed you for a faith that’s alive, steady, and overflowing into every part of your life.

I’d love to hear from you: Which of these stuck points feels most like where you are right now? And, what idea has sparked for you?

Be filled to overflowing,

DeneenTB