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5 Scriptures for Hope During Hard Times

When you're discouraged, you need hope to cling to. God's word can bring great comfort in trial, so tuck these verses away for your family to remember when you need them most!Are you going through a huge trial right now? Maybe you’re enduring job loss, huge parenting issues, difficult marriage trials or financial troubles.

If you’re in that place today, I just want to say that you’re not alone.

Our family is smack dab in the middle of a huge trial too since my husband lost his job 7 months ago and we’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions (and trusting God for provision).

Honestly, these difficult life seasons can be excruciatingly lonely and difficult as so much of the battle happens inside our minds! We must fight to keep not just a positive attitude but a Christ-centered one as we step out in faith and cling tightly to God for miracles.

But the great news is this: We can still have joy (and hope!) in the trials.

It’s not easy, but I promise that it’s true because I’m experiencing it right now!

I want to share with you 5 promises from the Bible that can bring you hope and comfort too.

5 Bible Verses for Hope During Life’s Trials

Ability to Comfort Others: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”

Want to know what brings me hope during hard times? The promise that what I’m going through won’t be wasted.

God promises in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 that not only does God comfort us during life’s difficulties, but that he equips us through our own suffering to be able to minister to others on this topic.

That is profound, isn’t it? Suffering is God’s amazing way for us to be transformed to help others in the future. That’s so encouraging to me!

Spiritual Endurance: Romans 5:3-4

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”

I can’t officially call myself a “runner” (since I run so infrequently and honestly, am not a huge fan!).

But one thing I do appreciate about running (especially when I’ve trained for 5K and 10K events) is that running produces endurance. I hate the sweaty, hot part of pushing myself through a final mile, but oh how I appreciate the exhilaration after a race knowing that I pushed myself and was able to endure because I know that I will be that much stronger the next time I go out on a run.

Pushing through the hard times in life (with God’s help for strength!) gives us incredible spiritual stamina. This stamina is so beneficial because it equips us for the next life struggle we deal with. The only way to build character (and our confident hope of salvation) is through enduring these hard times.

Deep Reliance in God: 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters,[a] about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.”

In the midst of life’s deepest trials, we reach a point where we must choose absolute surrender. The situation is too desperate, too painful or too bleak to be able to handle it on our own.

And thankfully, God doesn’t intend us to.

Like Paul shares here in 2 Corinthians, it’s in these moments that we must stop relying on ourselves and truly rest completely in Him for the answers.

A pastor once explained to me that reliance on God during trials is like leaning against a strong wall for support when we feel physically weak. We place our full weight on that wall, believing that it is strong enough to support us.

Do you have that same confident “leaning” today in God’s ability to carry you through this trial?

We don’t have to know what’s going to happen next, but we just need to praise Him for His promise to carry us through it.

Greater Understanding of His Love: Ephesians 3:16-19

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

God loves you: It’s a statement that most of us are fairly familiar with. We tell it to our kids from birth. And yet, we never seem to be in need of God’s love more than when we’re enduring a painful trial.

Do you know—I mean, from the depth of your soul—that God loves you? This foundational truth can change everything in your life. And it’s the essential truth that brings hope and peace during a trial.

The beautiful thing about God’s love is that we don’t need to understand it. We don’t need to analyze the fact that it’s bigger than we could ever hope or imagine. We just need to enjoy it.

A Rich Testimony of God’s Faithfulness: Psalm 34:4-7

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.

He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;

no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard;

he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

In the darkest nights, God’s light shines brightest.

Trials are never easy, but they are our opportunity to trust in the matchless name of Christ—the creator of the universe. Trials are our opportunity to create a rich testimony of what happens when we call out to Him and watch Him work.

The world needs more God-sightings, wouldn’t you agree? Oh friend, take note of the wonderful ways that He is working in your life through this and, like David’s words here, share about his faithfulness during this trial with those around you!

I’m praying for you as you walk this road! May your faith grow even stronger as you seek Jesus during this difficult time!

I promise that He is faithful and good at all times and that He will use this trial to bring great glory to many!

 

ALICIA MICHELLE

YOUR VIBRANT FAMILY

 

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