He told us so that we can brace up ourselves and do the right thing. So, when someone says life is hard, there is no argument to that. We face tough situations in different areas of our lives. Some might be battling with their health whilst others might be battling with their finances. Yet, we all face difficulties.

Going through hard times makes you stronger. Everybody will face his or her own challenges in life. Yet, these challenges serve as a stepping stone to greatness if we face them and fight. In order to overcome these hard times in life, there are things that must remain top of mind, things we need to remember.

1. Remember God to Survive Hard Times

If everyone is leaving you alone, family and friends are going, remember God. God will never leave you. Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” 

This is what the Lord has promised us. If challenges come, God will use them to help strengthen us.  He will be there to help us fight whenever it seems family and friends are leaving us.

Remember God’s love. If God can send his only son to die for us, then are we going to say He has stopped loving us? God has not stopped loving us – his love will show us comfort in hard times. We should not blame God for the bad things happening.

However, many people blame God for their downfall; they blame God for their deteriorating health. God doesn’t want sickness for you; God loves you and He promised to heal.  Jeremiah 30:17 “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.”

2. Nothing Lasts Forever

The truth is that whatever you are facing right now will not last forever. Psalm 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” 

There is a time for everything on earth. What you are facing only makes you grow stronger and teaches you to trust in God when hard times come.

It’s not enough to believe that it will be over soon but to know that if it will come again, you will surely overcome it. Since it doesn’t last forever, simply focus on the brighter side, focus on what is good.  

Any time I face a situation that is so unpleasant, I learn to adapt and then look into the future because I know God has better plans for me. So, the situation is just there to prepare me for it. It might look like it will not be over but soon it will be over and the tears will turn to joy.

3. All Things Work Together for Good

Are you sad because of what you are going through right now? Don’t let your present situation weigh you down. Paul struggled with his past life and when he received inspiration from Jesus, he came to this conclusion in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Paul wrote this particular verse of the Bible. You can imagine what he was thinking before writing this. This is coming from someone who had faced great tribulation. He endangered his life by the preaching of the gospel. Yet, he wrote that “All things work together for good.”

If you have been weighed down by your past, or what’s happening to you right now, leave it to Jesus. He will turn all into joy and you will receive strength. Do you remember Jabez, who was born in sorrow?  He was poor and weighed down because of his past. His mother had pronounced evil on him (1 Chronicles 4:9). But Jabez cried out unto the Lord and his story was changed.

4. The Promises of God

Don’t blame God for all that is happening to you, but remember God’s promises. Don’t let what’s happening now hide the promise of God away from your sight. If God promises a thing, He will always do it because He honors His word. 

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

God promised a wonderful ending not otherwise. So, we shouldn’t think it’s over for us when a little problem hits us but look into the promises. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expected end.”

5. The Name of Jesus

When we are in danger and we need help, what we often do is to shout for help. In this same manner, for us to be saved from hard times, we need to call on the name of the Lord. 

Romans 10:13 “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” When you call on the name of the Lord, He answers and saves you not only from the destruction but also from the guilt of sin.  Also, from temptations, trials, hell, and from the judgment of God that will befall on the wicked ones.

The Lord Himself told us to call Him in times of our trouble and He will deliver us (Psalm 50:15).  It’s never too late to call on the Lord. Whatever situation you are in right now, the best thing you need to do is to call on Jesus. Psalm 145:18 “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

The blind man, Bartimaeus, when he heard Jesus coming, he didn’t mind his situation – he called on Jesus. Imagine what he must have gone through with his blindness, frustration, and rejections.   

Yet, he couldn’t let this opportunity be wasted – he cried for mercy; he cried because he wanted to be saved. Because Jesus is near to those that call him, He answered him and saved him. Don’t allow anybody to silence you, don’t allow your thoughts to silence you, but instead, cry out to Jesus for help.

6. Remember God’s Grace

You are not better than those that faced the same challenges you are facing but couldn’t get through.  Some have lost their battle with the same sickness, which you survived. You are not better, but it’s just the grace of God you are enjoying. 

His grace has been there for you and whatever you go through, remember that His grace is enough for you. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

7. Your Divine Assignment

You are not in this world for nothing; you have been created for a purpose. God has chosen you so you cannot let any situation change that. Focus on the purpose, be purpose driven and not situation driven. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Remember the relationship you have in Christ. Whatever God says we are, depends on the type of relationship we have with Him. For those that are far from Him, those that don’t obey what He says, He called them “The wicked.”  He will pass judgment on them.

2 Timothy 3:3 “They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” These are the typical characteristics of  wicked people. This is not your own fate as you have Christ and a purpose. Remember the purpose and let it take you through the hard times.

Keeping the Faith When Hard Times Hit

Remember that the first step in staying calm and holding your faith when hard times hit is to meditate on God’s Word. Your circumstances are merely a temporary inconvenience and won’t last forever. Surely, all things in the end always work for your ultimate good. 

Pray with faith and continue to focus on the promises of God. And when in danger, call on His name. God’s grace is sufficient for us. Keep renewing your mind and building up your faith in God for you were created with a great purpose. 

Nurture your spirit, soul and body and continually offer praise and thanksgiving unto your Heavenly Creator. Following these tips will help you to deal with the hard times when they eventually hit.