A friend of mine was battling somethings and this was a response I sent to him on the matter. I just thought I would share this with you all.

We sometimes go through periods or seasons of suffering and struggling followed by strengthening and perfecting. It is like the cycles of plant life. The tea plants, for example, are grown in the mountains of South Asia. Those plants go through amazing cycles. They spread and bear leaves and those leaves are cut off, and then the plants are pruned severely so that you would think that they are dead, but they aren't. They are just going through a necessary stage in the production of tea. The Christian life is like that. We go through periods when it seems that the spiritual life is almost dead and the discouragement is so severe that we wonder what is happening and where God is. But those periods aren't permanent. God, , is just pruning us and preparing us for more fruit (John 15). Our part is to remain faithful through it all, to keep our faith in Him, and when we do we will eventually understand the truth of Romans 5:3-5, that trouble, when endured patiently in faith, produces experience (learning more about Christ and the Christian life), which results in increased faith, which results in an increase in spirituality.

*3. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; *4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:*5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
This process doesn't happen overnight. In fact, it can take years and even decades for God to work various things into our lives. Faith is the most important part of the Christian's spiritual armor: "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."(Eph 6:16) When Satan comes to try us with doubting, speculating, and discouragement we must have God strengthening our faith to resist him. Complete assurance laughs at the deceiver's lie, but the doubting, unshielded, unbelieving heart is pierced, wounded, and crushed.
It is by faith that we are to walk in Him and obey Him, trusting His Word and the guidance of His Spirit.
Faith is not something we can conjure up in our minds or talk ourselves into. Faith is remarkable; it brings a profound and unshakable confidence in the face of danger and deception. It is so full and vibrant that, in and of itself, it becomes an evidence of the truth and veracity of what is believed.