Trusting God in Difficult Times

As Christians, we should know how to trust God in difficult times. But shouldn’t we trust God in all circumstances? Absolutely, but why is that important? Don’t we have the good times covered on our own, so we only ask God when we need extra help? Not at all. If we believe that, we haven’t fully trusted in Jesus’ saving grace.
 
God is the Creator of the universe, humanity, and every amazing thing. Most importantly, He LOVES us! As our Heavenly Father, He is there for us. To show that God is the only choice you need to make when you’re facing difficult times, let’s look at some of the promises of God as found in His Word, the Holy Bible. I’ll also share Bible verses about trusting God in difficult times to provide resources to help you in times of your greatest need.
 
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
-John 3:16
 
Trusting God in difficult times requires understanding His willingness to help us when we need Him. This verse in Psalms shows how terrible things can get, yet the Lord will still protect us.
 
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
-Psalms 46: 1-3
 
God is all-knowing, all-seeing, and He knows what is best for us. It’s all about His will for our lives. Even when difficult times come, those events are still for God’s glory and for our good. We might not see the point on this side of Heaven, but it’s the truth.
 
Trust and faith are vital parts of any relationship with God.
 
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3: 5-6
 
God’s Word is full of promises that teach us about having faith in God during difficult times. He tells us that by praying and not worrying, He will give us peace. He tells us that He is there with us in the trenches. Even after the struggle, He will calm and strengthen us.
 
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:6-7
 
When you hit a bump in the road, your faith is tested, and you discover what trusting God in difficult times is all about. Mine was tested when my granddaughter was diagnosed with stage 3 Wilms kidney cancer. Through prayer, patience, and remembering all that the Lord has blessed me with, my trust in God remained intact. Today, I give all glory to God and His extraordinary grace for saving her life, healing her body, and guiding her through recovery.
 
When my granddaughter was going through cancer treatment, I began to tell her stories to encourage and inspire her and to let her see she was not alone. I felt called to write a children’s book, Ellie the Brave Bald Fairy, geared toward children who have cancer. It will be released in November.
 
For parents, seeing their children sick or in pain is a journey where often all they can do is have faith and pray as they journey through treatments or diagnoses. God makes us survivors, and we need to keep that warrior mindset. Here are five ways to trust in Him during difficult times.
 
1. Remember His Blessings
If you haven’t already started gratitude journaling, now is a great time to start. Writing down the things you’re thankful for provides you with a place to turn when you’re feeling down in the dumps. You’ll come to find that many of the blessings in your journal are answered prayers.
 
Gratitude journaling is a wonderful way to focus on what’s good in your life. It can also provide a great go-to when you need reminders of answered prayers.
 
You can look back to your gratitude journal whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed and struggling with having faith in God during hard times. Doing so can help you find the confidence that He will absolutely get you through the next road bump in your life and the next and the next.
 
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
-Matthew 19:26
 
2. Pray
Prayer will get you through the toughest times. Trusting God in difficult times takes prayer and faith that He will do what He says. God will come through on His promises. He is just waiting for you to trust Him.
 
Why is it that we try and hold onto our troubles? It’s almost like a tug-of-war between us and God. God’s got this, but if you won’t let go, how can He help? Faith doesn’t make things easy; it makes them possible. So pray. He can’t answer your prayer if you don’t ask.
 
For with God, nothing shall be impossible.
-Luke 1:37
 
3. Increase Your Faith
How do you have faith in God in tough times? Growing your faith is pretty simple and can be done through daily activities. Here is a checklist of daily activities that can help you grow your faith. Print it off or save it on your phone, then work up to making each of these activities a daily habit.
 
Clearly, the first step in increasing your faith is to form a relationship with Jesus and trust Him with your eternal safety. Next, open your Bible, pray, and have fellowship with other Christians. Be humble and kind everywhere you go, and avoid judging or criticizing others. Believe and share God’s Word, and act in accordance with His Word.
 
4. Repent Often
Walking in obedience to God means repenting of the sin in your life. Sin separates humanity from God. After Jesus surrendered to being nailed to that tree, He shed blood on that cross, covering the sins of all humankind.
 
If you have unrepentant sin in your life, you create a barricade between you and your Heavenly Father. That’s why it’s important to repent often. Many of us ask for forgiveness when we pray, maybe once a day. But to keep you close and obedient, ask Him for forgiveness as often as you catch yourself sinning.
 
5. Be Patient
Sometimes our struggles seem to last forever. However, it’s not realistic to expect that God is going to fix it and it will be all over because we ask. It’s all about what is best for our good and will bring the most glory to God. To put it plainly, God’s will be done.
 
Typically, God’s timing does not correspond with what we want for our lives. During our struggles is when we grow the most spiritually. Trusting God in difficult times has to become a way of life as hard times come and go. Keeping our faith in the Lord and staying focused will result in greater blessings in Heaven.
 
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
-Isaiah 40:31