What causes Christian college students to undergo a crisis of faith? Well with less parental restrictions and regulations, there are more responsibilities and with so much independence it can sometimes be difficult to establish a healthy balance between academics, extracurricular activities, and a social life. This new lifestyle means facing many conflicts, trials, challenges, and new opportunities. As a result of the many external changes around you, internally you begin to struggle with not only your self, but also your faith and relationship with God.
One reason that causes college students to go through a crisis of faith is due to balancing their time. Studying for exams, making new friends, joining on campus activities, exercising, more reading than high school, and working are all components that are hard to prioritize and manage. One day may be filled with cramming homework where the next may be filled with work and social events. All these different agendas can prove to be exhausting and by the end of a long day you"re so tired that you can't take time to meditate or read some scripture before going to bed. Eliminating time with God from your schedule stunts your growth and relationship with God. Jimmy Kim, a sophomore, agrees that "God was pushed aside and delayed until later because I always had something else going on. Unfortunately, "later" never came and my devotional time rapidly decreased. As a result, it caused me to put my faith on hold and doubt things about Christianity." Balancing time is definitely a challenge to students who have so many different opportunities to get involved with the school. The sacrifice of not prioritizing and putting God first causes consequences and soon your faith starts to weaken. In Hebrews 12:2-3 it tells us to "fix our eyes on Jesus Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.