Faith can be powerful, personal, and grounding, there’s no doubt about it.
However, not everyone’s experience is a positive one. Sometimes, belief in a higher power and the tenets followers abide by (or believe they should) get used to dodge real-life problems instead of facing them. If belief starts replacing honesty or action, it might be time for a reality check. Here’s how you know you’re losing touch with the rest of the world thanks to your faith.
1. You call everything “a test” instead of actually dealing with it.
When stuff hits the fan, it’s easy to say, “It’s just a test,” and move on. Of course, that mindset can stop you from taking responsibility or fixing what’s wrong. It becomes a way to sit in chaos and call it growth, even when things need changing. Not every problem is a spiritual lesson. Some things need practical action, hard conversations, or just admitting you messed up. Calling it a “test” doesn’t always make it meaningful. It can just be another way to avoid getting your hands dirty.
2. You use “everything happens for a reason” as a way to dodge accountability.
This line’s a classic—and sure, sometimes it brings comfort. However, if you’re using it every time something goes wrong, you might be avoiding the fact that choices have consequences. Not everything is fate—sometimes it’s just a bad decision. Shrugging off poor outcomes by blaming them on some higher plan stops you from learning. Growth comes from owning what went wrong, not pretending it was supposed to happen that way all along.
3. You refuse therapy because you think prayer should be enough.
There’s nothing wrong with turning to faith when life’s hard. But if you’re refusing real help—therapy, support groups, talking to someone who actually knows what they’re doing—because you think it shows a lack of belief, that’s not strength. That’s avoidance.
It’s not unfaithful to admit you need help. Sometimes the most honest thing you can do is say, “I need both prayer and a plan.” Faith and professional help aren’t enemies; they’re just two parts of doing the work properly.
4. You brush off hard truths by saying, “It’s all in God’s hands.”
This sounds peaceful, but it can be a bit of a cop-out. Sometimes people use this line when they don’t want to make decisions or face uncomfortable facts. It becomes an easy way to hand off responsibility. Putting your future entirely on faith while ignoring real-life issues isn’t trust, it’s avoidance. If you’re in a mess but keep waiting for a divine rescue instead of making changes, you’re not handing it over—you’re checking out.
5. You say, “I’ll pray about it” when you actually mean “I’m not dealing with this.”
This one’s subtle. It sounds thoughtful, but sometimes it just means you’re avoiding a choice. It becomes a stalling phrase, a way to dodge responsibility while still sounding noble about it. There’s nothing wrong with pausing to think. But if every tough conversation or decision gets pushed off with “I’ll pray about it,” you might be hiding behind faith instead of using it to move forward.
6. You stay in toxic situations because you think leaving would be “unfaithful.”
Some people convince themselves they’re meant to suffer quietly because walking away would mean giving up on God’s plan. But staying in harmful situations—bad relationships, abusive homes, toxic jobs—doesn’t make you faithful. It just makes you stuck. Faith isn’t about enduring endless damage in the name of loyalty. Sometimes the most honest thing you can do is leave. Protecting your peace isn’t a lack of faith. It’s basic self-respect.
7. You avoid talking about real problems by over-spiritualising them.
If every time someone brings up an issue, you hit them with a vague spiritual phrase or a Bible quote, it might be worth asking why. Are you really trying to help, or just avoiding the messier parts of real life? Sometimes things don’t need to be wrapped in a deeper meaning. They just need to be faced. Not everything needs a sermon. Some things need action, clarity, or just a blunt, honest response.
8. You think struggling means you’ve lost your faith.
If you believe that doubt, fear, or pain means you’re failing spiritually, that belief can trap you. You end up ignoring your feelings instead of dealing with them, just to keep up the image that you’re doing okay spiritually. You can believe in something bigger and still feel overwhelmed. That doesn’t make you broken; it makes you real. Plus, struggling doesn’t cancel out your faith. It just means you’re human.
9. You see every setback as divine punishment.
Not everything going wrong is because you “weren’t faithful enough.” Sometimes life just sucks. If you’re interpreting every missed opportunity or bad day as God punishing you, you might be stuck in a guilt loop that has nothing to do with actual belief. That kind of thinking keeps you scared, not grounded. Real faith should help you move forward, not leave you panicking every time something doesn’t go your way.
10. You expect God to fix things you’re not even trying to fix yourself.
It’s easy to sit back and wait for things to change while telling yourself it’s “in God’s hands.” However if you’re not willing to take small, practical steps—make the call, apply for the job, end the relationship—then you’re not actually trusting. You’re avoiding. Faith can carry you, but it still needs your feet to move. Hoping for change without making room for it isn’t spiritual. It’s just stuck thinking with a spiritual label slapped on top.
11. You shut people down with spiritual one-liners instead of listening.
If someone tells you they’re struggling and your first response is “pray more” or “just have faith,” you might be pushing them away. Those phrases can feel dismissive, even if they’re well-meant. Real support means listening—without trying to fix or spiritualise everything. Sometimes the kindest, most faithful thing you can do is sit with someone in their mess and just be real with them.
12. You avoid your past by saying it’s “washed away.”
Forgiveness matters, but pretending your past didn’t shape you is another way to avoid doing deeper work. Saying “that’s behind me” only works if you’ve actually faced it. Otherwise, it’s just buried, not healed. If you’re using faith as a reason to skip self-reflection, you’re not moving forward—you’re running from yourself. It’s okay to look back, even if it’s painful. You don’t have to stay there, but you can’t pretend it didn’t happen either.
13. You only hang around people who share your beliefs.
If your entire world is made up of people who think exactly like you, it’s easy to confuse comfort with conviction. However, that bubble can also become a shield from reality and complexity. You don’t have to abandon your beliefs to learn from other people. In fact, real growth usually comes from the conversations that challenge you. If your faith can’t survive a bit of disagreement, it might need a stronger foundation.
14. You’re more concerned with looking faithful than being honest.
Sometimes people put on a spiritual front because they’re scared of being judged. They say the right things, act the part, and never admit when they’re lost or unsure. However, eventually, that gap between the image and the truth wears them down.
Honesty is a better foundation than appearances. You don’t need to be the perfect believer. You just need to be real. And that includes admitting when you’re tired, confused, or doubting everything. That’s not weakness—it’s just where the real work starts.
