How do you know if your faith is shallow or deep? It’s a question many Christians avoid asking themselves, yet it’s one of the most important reflections we can make on our spiritual journey. Understanding where you stand in your relationship with God can transform how you navigate life’s challenges and grow closer to Him.

The Problem with Cultural Christianity

Many believers today fall into what I call “cultural Christianity.” They like the idea of God, appreciate what Christianity stands for, and consider themselves part of Team God. But when it comes to daily practice, their faith remains surface-level, rarely integrated into their everyday decisions and struggles.

Think about it like going to the gym. Some people are casual gym-goers who show up occasionally, especially on New Year’s Day when motivation peaks. Others are moderately consistent, making fitness a regular but not obsessive part of their routine. Then there are the hardcore enthusiasts who eat, sleep, and breathe their fitness goals, counting macros and planning every workout.

The same spectrum exists in faith. Where do you fall?

The John the Baptist Test: A Measure of True Faith

I call my litmus test for faith depth “the John the Baptist test,” and it reveals something profound about what we truly believe when circumstances turn against us.

John the Baptist was an incredible figure in biblical history. He baptized people in preparation for Jesus, proclaimed the coming Messiah, and even baptized Jesus Himself. He had his own dedicated followers and was making a real impact for God’s kingdom.

Then everything changed. John spoke truth to power and ended up imprisoned for it. While he sat in a dark cell, his cousin Jesus was out performing miracles for countless people. John remained in prison for a long, long time, watching his ministry fade while Jesus’s grew.

In a moment of deep questioning, John sent one of his followers to ask Jesus directly: “Are you who they say you are? Are you truly the Christ?”

This question haunts me. Here was a man who had witnessed the heavens open at Jesus’s baptism, who had dedicated his life to preparing the way for the Messiah, who knew Jesus personally as family. Yet in his suffering, doubt crept in.

When Your Faith Faces the Ultimate Test

The John the Baptist test is simple: Can you believe God is good when your circumstances are not?

This is where shallow faith crumbles and deep faith proves itself. When you face a personal crisis, job loss, illness, broken relationships, or injustice, what happens to your belief in God’s goodness? Do you question whether God really cares about you? Do you wonder if everything you believed was wrong?

These questions don’t make you a bad Christian. They make you human. Even John the Baptist struggled with them.

The Evidence That Anchors Deep Faith

When I wrestle with doubts about God’s goodness, I return to one undeniable piece of evidence: Jesus Himself.

Jesus performed countless miracles for others, yet He chose not to perform one for Himself when it mattered most. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked God if there was any other way to accomplish salvation besides the cross. He knew exactly what was coming—the brutal, public torture of crucifixion that everyone in that culture understood and feared.

Yet He didn’t back down. He didn’t draw a sword like Peter tried to. He didn’t use His power to escape.

Here’s what strikes me: No sane person would willingly endure that level of suffering for something they knew was a lie. Even someone delusional would likely break under the threat of crucifixion’s horrors. But Jesus faced it all while proclaiming that God is good and His plan is perfect.

Jesus must have known something we don’t. He must have seen a reality beyond the immediate circumstances that gave Him the strength to endure.

Deepening Your Faith Today

If Jesus could believe and proclaim God’s goodness despite facing the worst circumstances imaginable, what does that mean for us? When we face our own trials—which are rarely as severe as what Christ endured—we have His example to anchor us.

Deep faith isn’t the absence of questions. It’s continuing to trust in God’s goodness even when circumstances scream otherwise. It’s choosing to believe that God’s perspective is bigger than our current pain.

So I ask you: How deep is your faith? Can you pass the John the Baptist test? When life gets hard, will your faith sustain you, or will it prove to be shallow?

The answer to that question makes all the difference.