Hard Times

Where is God during our toughest battles?

What happens in the hard times? Sometimes we face situations that are so hard we start to wonder if this is the end, are we really gonna make it? Will we ever live our dreams or the visions that God has given us? We can get so discouraged that we don’t want to hope any more, we don’t want to try anymore, we don’t want to have faith, we don’t want to work at it anymore because it’s just not working out.

What do I do when life is just too hard? Where is God when I am failing, depressed, when I lose a loved one, when I lose my job, when I lose my car, when I am so discouraged and depressed that I can’t even get out of bed? God is here, He is with me. When I go to Him and give Him my ashes, He gives me beauty and victory.

During the hard times I can make a choice- a choice to believe God or believe someone else. To grow in my faith or let it dwindle a way. I can choose to take responsibility for my decisions or I can blame others. I can blame God or I can believe that God is sovereign and just and He loves me with and everlasting love. I can trust Him to redeem me, my reputation, and my time.

During the hard times I can pray or I can complain. I can seek advice from godly people or I can continue trying to do it all on my own. I can continue to grow in my relationship with God, asking Him for the
answers or I can try to figure it out myself.

During the hard times I can get into His presence, I can pray, I can read the word, I can worship, I can praise, and I can be still before God. I can ask Him for perspective or I can blow it all out of proportion. I can choose give thanks for what I have, or I dwell on what I don’t have. I can chose to only worry about me and what I need, or I can bless someone else.

During the hard times I can choose to persevere or give up. I can give my burdens to God or I can self-medicate myself by smoking, eating, having sex, distracting myself with a busy social life, or even pouring all of my energy into a hobby.

God loves me no matter what choice I make, however the choice I make can prevent me from understanding that God loves me. When I walk away from God, when I chose to sin, and when I chose other people or things over God, I become a prisoner of condemnation, guilt, shame, pride, self-righteousness, and self-reliance. I no longer hear God saying that He loves me; I can’t see all the ways that God says I love you.

Every battle, every problem, every circumstance, and every hard time is an opportunity to grow closer to God and to trust God. The hard times remind me that I need God in every area of my life. They remind me that God truly is all powerful and almighty. The hard times build endurance, strength, hope, faith, love, patience, discipline. The hard times remind me that to be humble, to show grace, to show mercy, to be compassionate and to pray others. During the hard times I am still more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.