Trust God in Hard Times
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
32 Don't forget all the hard times you went through when you first received the light. 33 Sometimes you were abused and mistreated in public, and at other times you shared in the sufferings of others. 34 You were kind to people in jail. And you gladly let your possessions be taken away, because you knew you had something better, something that would last forever. 35 Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. 36 Learn to be patient, so you will please God and be given what he has promised. 37 As the Scriptures say, “God is coming soon! It won't be very long. 38 The people God accepts will live because of their faith. But he isn't pleased with anyone who turns back.” 39 We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved.
Hebrews 10:32-39
Memory Verse
Hebrews 10:23
23 We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us.
Koda had the best childhood. He had a wonderful home, parents who loved him, friends, and a great church community. Everything seemed perfect—until it wasn’t. It started with doctors’ visits and hushed conversations, followed by a dad who was sick, and finally ended with Koda’s dad dying. Koda felt like his perfect life had fallen apart!
In everyone’s life, hard things will happen. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we escape difficult times. Brokenness, caused by things like divorce, sickness, anger, or other hard things, can leave you feeling like nothing is stable anymore or ever will be again! It is easy to think you will always feel like you do when you’re at your lowest.
Even when things seem at their darkest, God gives comfort and hope. When God’s chosen prophet Elijah was running from the evil queen Jezebel, he felt so low that he wanted to lay down and die (1 Kings 19). The Bible tells us that Job was a righteous man, yet Job’s children died, and then he lost everything he owned (Job 1:13-22). David was known as a man after God’s heart, and his psalms are full of lamenting (Psalm 13). Even Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:38). God doesn’t spare us from difficulties. However, even though things may feel hopeless, God promises to be with us in every situation.
What can you do when things seem bleak? Model yourself after Jesus:
- Surround yourself with and talk to people who care about you.
- Pray to God often and share your pain with him.
- Know that you aren’t alone, that everyone has difficult times, and that things won’t always seem as dark as they are right now.
Finally, remember God’s promise to you: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). When things are hard, hang on to this promise, and know that he is always with you.
Prayer
God, there are times that I feel like things are falling apart. Sometimes, I think that things will never be okay again and I will always feel this way. But God, you remind me that you will never leave me and are at work in my life. Remind me to hang onto those promises, and let me feel your presence. Amen.Related Resources
Lisa VanderKuip
Lisa VanderKuip is a Learning Resource Teacher in Ontario, Canada. Each day, she enjoys sharing her love of reading with her students. One of her greatest joys is seeing kids who are struggling unlock the reading code. In her spare time, Lisa loves to golf with her husband and two grown children.