5 Verses For When Life Gets Hard

Early in my Christian life my pastor asked me to give a short version of my testimony which included how I was different after salvation. I’m always happy to share my testimony, so I quickly agreed. All but my shaking knees, that is! One thing I shared in my testimony was how Christians had failed to warn me that salvation didn’t create a problem-free life. Life gets hard as a believer, even unbearable at times, and I had been unprepared for that reality.

Today I’d like to do something unlike my usual posts. I want to share which verses I find helpful when trials, temptations, and struggles threaten to overwhelm me. These truths from God’s Word keep me focused, help me put things in eternal perspective, and remind me I can trust God.

But first…

Life Will Get Hard

Too many Christians walk around giving off the air of perfection. Life is so grand because they are saved. When you ask how they are doing, they always cheerfully reply, “fine!” The problem is that denying life’s troubles is a big fat lie, ladies. We need to stop acting like our lives are the summation of our perfect social media pictures. Embrace the fact that there is a bit of a mess outside the frame.

Now, don’t go too far with this, either. The fact of the matter is life is a lot better as a Christian. We have Jesus, y’all, and He is all we need. However, salvation doesn’t stop the troubles from coming. After all, we still inhabit a fallen world that’s living out the consequences of sin.

If you think I’m lying, take a look at these.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

1 Peter 1:12-14

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

2 Timothy 3:12

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

So, don’t let anyone tell you that you must be in sin because that’s the only reason you would face trials. Don’t wonder why God would let something bad happen to you. He said bad things would absolutely happen. In fact, sometimes your righteousness and faithful obedience will bring struggles.

Move forward in the knowledge that it isn’t about what to do if life gets hard. It’s about what to do when life gets hard.

Where Can We Turn?

If you’re anything like me, and I hope you’re not too much so, then you might find yourself trying to do God’s job. So helpful… I’m a fixer, and I end up trying to force things to be the way I think is best. I hate to see others, especially those I love, suffering, and that leads me to try to take away the source of pain. “Maybe God’s too busy right now to be in this,” I say through my actions.

Nope. No. Bad, Julie. Wrong turn! Try again.

I know where to turn, and I think you do, too. I take a detour at anxiety and worry on occasion, but I always find my way back to real comfort, solace, and peace. The Lord. And specifically, I look for His wise words in the Bible.

Some verses I already shared with you can be a help in difficult times, but there are five verses to which I personally gravitate. Yours might be different, and that’s OK. For now, let’s peek at what I cling to in times of darkness.

When Life Gets Hard: Scripture #1:

“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”

Psalm 34:17-19

Now that you have read those verses, read them again. (Actually, read all of Psalm 34 because it is so encouraging!) Verse 19 was the verse I intended to share with you, but it’s even more impactful with the verses leading into it.

Do you see the picture of people in despair, out of options, emotionally broken, and calling out to their God? Have you been that person? I have. And I’ve witnessed it more times than I would like to recount.

What boggles my mind is how God knows, cares, and helps us through it. (Get ready for a trite comment.) Our situations, no matter how big and terrible, won’t last forever. Jesus has delivered us, and He does carry us through. Does that mean He’ll pull us out of the trial quickly? No. As a matter of fact, it might not be until we die and finally see Him face-to-face.

But, ladies, He hears us and cares for us. God doesn’t abandon His children. He will deliver us from this pain.

When Life Gets Hard: Scripture #2:

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)

If you want to dive into suffering as a believer, First Peter is a great book to start. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. As the verse above says, the suffering we endure will lead to a stronger faith and a more secure relationship with God.

What’s more, the previous verse clearly states you are not the only believer going through trials and tribulations. “Resist him [Satan], firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

When I feel like I can’t take it any longer, I read this verse and remember that I’m not the only one going through hard days. And God is using my trials to strengthen my faith. Sanctification hurts sometimes, but I long to be like Jesus more than I desire to run away when life gets hard.

When Life Gets Hard: Scripture #3:

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13

To begin, First Corinthians puts things in perspective for me by reminding me that I’m not the first person to experience whatever I’m going through. We like to say things like, “No one understands what this is like for me.” Well, Jesus knows, and even of He didn’t, people over the course of history would disagree.

In addition, God hasn’t forsaken me in temptation. When life gets hard, I can struggle with sin I have made great strides in over the years. I’m prone to anger, worry, and selfishness when I’m overwhelmed and struggling. Worse yet, my fleshly impulse is to pull away from God, but He doesn’t throw up His hands and leave me to drown in my own weakness. He remains. All I need to do is reach for Him.

God will not allow me to be in a scenario where the only decision possible for me is sin. There is always a way to reject the temptation, but I won’t find it in my own strength. Staying rooted in the Word, praying, living in obedience, and seeking His will for my life can always offer an escape.

When Life Gets Hard: Scripture #4:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Romans 8:18

This verse takes me out of the here and now. Yes, our sufferings, temptations, struggles, etc. matter a great deal. On the other hand, how much do they matter in light of eternity? We are not going to be in the presence of the Lord and perseverating on the season of grief we experienced on Earth. We’ll delight in Him and worship Him. The tears and sadness will be gone forever (Revelation 21:4) and our days here will be as nothing in comparison.

Romans 8:18 doesn’t make me ignore my troubles or stuff my feelings deep down, but it reminds me that there is so much more to look forward to as a Christian. One day none of this difficulty will matter to me.

When Life Gets Hard: Scripture #5:

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

Genesis 50:20

Quickly, let’s add some context. Joseph has been reunited with his family in Egypt, and Joesph has successfully (through God) saved many people’s lives in a famine. After some time, Joseph’s father, Jacob, dies, and his brothers fear that Joseph will now take his revenge on them for selling him into slavery when he was young.

Joseph responds with Genesis 50:20. Joseph’s life is not the only example of God intervening in terrible circumstances and using them for something positive and His glory. This story, though, is such a clear instance of God meaning good when others mean evil.

When life gets hard, I ask “why.” I usually don’t see what the Lord’s doing through the trial. Sadly for me, I don’t always see after the fact, either. But God is always doing something.

I doubt my life will end up saving entire regions of the world from starvation, but He can use my struggles for good. My heavy drinking (prior to salvation), my mom’s emotional abuse, multiple instances of assault, pregnancy loss, toxic church members…the list goes on. God has used them for me to grow, and I have been given the opportunity to minster to women who have experienced similar things because I already walked down that road.

Whether the circumstances we face act passively to challenge us or are deliberate attempts to harm us, God can use them for something so much greater. And in that fact, I have to give thanks. Am I thankful for the hard times? Honestly, no. But I’m so glad my God can take what’s ugly in this world and do something beautiful with it.

Final Thought

When life gets hard, we are tempted to retreat into ourselves and/or pretend like everything is perfect. Own it, Christian ladies. Own the trials, temptations, hurts, struggles, and betrayals. Show the world how we face difficult circumstances with the Lord by our side. Actually, let’s show each other because some of our sisters in Christ really need to see it, too.

What verses do you turn to when life gets hard? Let me know!

Image courtesy of Kyle Broad via Unsplash.