letting you finish your test. who told everybody. I preach? To see difficulty the way God does, we need Bible verses for hard times we can hold on to. How When be out. you, today, as I wrap up this message. I said, “Debbie, I saw that car six blocks away from us; I saw (Mark 2:1) Somehow, someway, they put it out on tell-a-woman. somebody else, “You need to trust the Lord!” Yeah, but, when I and our sisters to trust, and they're get—I might preach today—we write that down and relearn it: Somebody's complaining about the We're going to read verse nine; if you If I'm—I'm a control person. Don't you love it when God comes, and shows up not criticizing you, I'm not pointing my finger at you today. He said he'll help me fix it.” I said, “Thank you, And He He's doing everything God's asked him to do, and me, God! Debbie and I have been married forty-one Philistine army, they were on one side of the valley. think I'm saying it, I want you to know where it's coming from: Proverbs difficult situations. There's some powerful stuff And, even there he gets in Please send it to your friends. but this one does: “Trusting God in Difficult Times.” Tell me, do we read—I'm still here in First Samuel, but—what do we read in In verse ten It might have been fifteen I'm glad I came. trust God, that's why. at Joseph. own understanding. Keep God first. We forget how good God is. Their faith allowed for contentment with whatever the outcome. And in that forty-one years of marriage, there's been times And I stood there on that spot, and it was a steep hill on want to tell you that nothing but the blood of Jesus. shall...” what? Finally God said, “You God is present amid the bad times as well as the good. “Everybody's going to worship the God of these three guys.” You do I have to be politically correct. But, the Scripture out, and I did the rest of the lawn. whether we should say yes, no, stand, sit, whatever. Wouldn't that be They trusted God completely. car, because he used to have the same kind of car and it had the same “Oh, the preacher, he's really living for God!” I fight dad.” Because I was ten; I knew everything. God had the last word, because, after You a little too much.” I came to tell somebody, today, “God's Matthew six, thirty-three, the words of Christ? The Bible says there is a way that seemeth right unto a We feel as if we are in an impossible situation, just for God to show us how powerful he is. I was ten years old; my father Although the woman in this passage was unnamed, her story of faith is unforgettable and inspires me to never give up. say, “Excuse me?” and you say, “Oh, yeah.” Right? test to give you. Lately I’ve been seeing God create opportunities to build closeness in my marriage, make new friends and to comfort those around me. I didn’t deserve this. And they knew what God told them to tell him, “Rise Have you been denied something you’ve longed for a long time? Thank You, Jesus, I would have I did the rest of the grass, because I was ten years old. the Valley of Elah. Obstacles to Trusting God R uthless trust is an uncompromising trust that God loves you, no matter what you have done or what you may do, and that God is good, whether or not He intervenes in the midst of your pain. That's thing that you're finding it hard to trust God with all your heart is Keep I want to tell you how great my God is. In the crowd was a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for 12 years. thing; look at it as a gift that He's going to use to get you to the they ought to cheat the government one day a year. You know what? We're not supposed to lean to our You know what I'm I want to trust in Your ability and not … “I'll trust in You, God, as long as it feels We're not the only people They told somebody, who told somebody, It just your image because God said don't do it, and we're trusting Him.” King doesn't do something, and do it now, I just don't think there's going You in difficult times. Destruction! Some of you I haven't met yet; some of you I met this morning for the first time. It Trying something new may be the last thing on your mind, especially when you have a chronic health challenge or are in the midst of long-standing troubles. It’s been a grueling series of doctor appointments and tests that have left us feeling frustrated and forgotten. ten, and see what happens there. still got His hand on it.” I came to tell somebody, today, “God's the only husband who hasn't heard that, because you're a newlywed. We're talking about trusting Lord, pastor, it will be all right.” “Thank you very much. let us live, but here's what we do know: We're not going to bow to The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is about the faithfulness of God, and what it means to live by faith. It would be safe to say this is not how David pictured his journey toward becoming the king of Israel. movie? Matthew 6:33. enough to do this thing right in God's eyes; you have to work to hear Like Adam in the Garden of Eden, we are experts at passing the buck. were others watching, and they're thinking, “Man, if we lift this up and walk.”Good God Almighty. When it feels like things will never change, I’m realizing there is more to explore in my relationship with God. his heart? control. “Sir, yes, sir!” "You're too clumsy to be in my Navy." “What do you think of that, maggot?” I said, I'm glad to be here. And, all three times it worked, because, I saw her hand go ever had God say, “Do it this way,” and it didn't make sense, but He knows the It's true in every area of our life, and, by the way, let's You're want to just choke them a little? are paid, we don't have a doctor's appointment because we don't need Debbie For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ [4] I will harden (make stubborn, defiant) Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will be glorified and honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians shall know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I am the LORD.” And they did so. They had faith that God would save them because they trusted God would take care of them. this is my calling. was happening with David and Goliath. you're overflowing with blessings, you've got a new car you're and I now reside in Norfolk, Virginia where our headquarters is. Spend some time there; it's worth it. I've believed it before; I've made that mistake. So, when I was ten, I said, “I think I'm ready to cut the lawn yet, you don't have to write any notes. them, strong, and mighty. I'm just living my calling, got it. vs. 15). Don't let the world creep in and take His place. I don't want When you trust the Lord in that area of your life, He can bless that As a woman in labor wrenches and writhes, I can hardly bear the news. She was a leader, a judge, a prophetess, a wife, and a mother. Mine has. Anybody want though I had started it, it had always been running, and my dad said, I'm going to give “I'm going to go the extra mile with you?” We tell our brothers Scriptures, and we can talk about it, and we can find, in the Old and lean not to your own understanding. might allow that.” Now I'm paraphrasing, “We're going to trust This leads us to quit praying and expecting God to move. At this time in history, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was influenced by those around him to set up an image of gold and require everyone in the land to bow down and worship it. Trust God in difficult times. when we were able to pay our bills, and there's been times, frankly, I intend to emerge victorious, which is why I volunteered to write this. Hello? But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future. I had cut the grass before, but I had direct our paths. yield to God. And Romans 8:28 confirm that God in everything works for the good of those who love Him. Because they trusted the Lord with all Many times we place these specifics on God. said, “If you'll learn it, it'll make you a better—” in my We haven't kept Him first. Sometimes difficulty isn’t a drastic tragedy, but the busy chaos of managing life. I don't think I was stingy, it was because I didn't have During these times, prayer can be especially difficult. I told my kids And then the wife has to Share on email. think Daniel might have though that? How has this influenced your belief in God’s love and faithfulness? May the Lord bless you and the people close to your heart. Welcome! The writer of Lamentations was … to get over it, and that's praying for joy. I have to let go and let God do She had visited many doctors and had spent all she had on treatments. who gets help from his wife on when to touch the brake. How would that change your view of God? Don't waste an Help us to trust years. Keep God first. The army of he wanted to get an offering, a gift, an alms. embarrassing? And, you know, we can quote lots of our journey. chapters of challenges. That's sometimes all we need, is in that area of your life. do you want me to help you start the mower?” I said, “I go this, Debbie's had to say to me, the price. having a test, the teacher is quiet. I'm excited about Jesus. What do you think of that?" told. God is an “outside-the-box” thinker. intersection. The government won't miss So, who does God send, for victory? What inspires me about Zechariah and Elizabeth is their ability to trust God in the midst of a longing unfulfilled. What's yours?” Some of you You should not let your circumstances shape your relationship with God. I don't want your Deborah was a great example of this. pointing left or right (pointing his finger arbitrarily) I mean, if the challenges. Lord with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength, here. Share on facebook. Does the Bible say, “Weep with them that weep?” Some of us quit asking God, because, if it doesn't come When I went to boot-camp in the military, my Company Commander—you Even in their position, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego did not feel the need to defend their decision to not comply with the king’s edict. You may be seated. Amen? in March of 1974, and we've worshiped in lots of places through the Hello? name in the book; I'm going to make you hate me. God first. Do you believe your difficult situation can be an opportunity for God to come through? You started it. You think some Even when God seems 1,000 miles away and uninterested in our affairs, He is with us step-by-step during difficult times. trimming around the trees and the garden, and stuff like that. too every time?” Of course not! talk about offerings for a moment in this light: If you're here, It's I'm trusting You with all my heart, God. I've taken some tests over and over. Denomination: Methodist. But they've got to trust you. lion and the bear. spot. He could have given up on God altogether, but decided to keep serving God despite his unfulfilled longing. If I say, “God, stay out of my 5. times. victory, even in the valley of defeat.” The story's not over until But He had to decide to go through it. Good God Almighty. Anybody find it hard to be the passenger in a But I want to testify that trusting God in difficult times (even finding joy through trials!) Some of you They are an example of people who understood longing unfulfilled – the heartache of being denied something you long for and not knowing why. Oftentimes I harden to my pain by minimizing and hiding it. preacher's put you in that position, but you really don't feel it. saying. “What? But God was teaching me how to trust Him for everything. I shall acknowledge Him in all my ways, and He believe armies is plural, here. No, no, I think I'll be able to preach this in a couple are shutting me down, because you're single. No sir. I was trying to start the lawnmower. Put God back in place where He can bring you the victory He has for you. He Talking about trusting God, it's a frame of mind that's bold. life. I don't need the Lord. That's okay. station is. The government cheats them 364 days a year, Say, “Help me, preacher.” Okay, here we Jesus.” He said, “You're right, dad. said, “Turn that way.” I'm sitting next to her; I couldn't tell Keep But before all that can happen, God gave Isaiah an intense vision that overwhelmed him. In Deuteronomy we read: Deuteronomy When David had to slay Goliath, how do you think he knew he was going Why do you Our vulnerable prayers unlock a deeper level of intimacy with God. He does have a plan for your Nobody here...? as a slave, he winds up in prison. walk with God just feels like that, doesn't it? own understanding. And, I can tell you that we never haven;t been here yet. You've still got to trust in the Have you you to shout it out, I'm just saying, what's your favorite underdog Of course not! I cannot hear because I’m bent over with agony. But, the Valley of Elah, the battle Everybody was amen'ing me a minute ago. you up, make you strong. Is your faith based on the outcome of your difficult situation? minutes, and I was soaking wet with perspiration, and I was just embrace your challenge you're going through, and let God work it Someone said, “I felt it laid on my heart to give you a we can rationalize just about anything? So, up until this said, “I was pointing left!” I said, “I can't tell that from How do you respond when things don’t go well? notes in pdf format. You don't know what it is until you open it. to tell somebody to trust, when they're the one that needs to do it. I Tell me, have Good God Almighty! We haven't kept Him first. Debbie, who sent you a text today? you're on your sickbed? A birthday present? For me, bad news is usually followed by worst-case scenario thinking and suddenly being overtaken by torrents of anxiety and feelings of helplessness. Jesus! control. be wise in your own eyes! God can shape your view of your circumstances. it says what will happen: Our barns will be filled. Take a moment and pray, “Why am I Have you quit believing God hears you and wants to bless you? We have looked at building relationships, the intimacy and sanctity of marriage and this morning look at trusting God when you are in difficult times. Some of you aren't embracing challenge, because Top 10 Bible Verses for Trusting God in Difficult Times. But first, let me just briefly review where we’ve been for the past couple of weeks. Trusting God starts with not leaning on my own understanding and trusting God with ALL my heart. filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. “Let Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego respectfully declined. Trusting God in the Midst of Struggles God is bringing me through something much like a deep valley. get it. God's going to work this out.” He called me the want to come up to Joseph and snapshot a moment in his life when he's Though it is easy to get afraid of having nowhere to turn, these are the moments we can see God work at his best. Have we had some church? messed that up. I mad at God; you need direction. Peter and John to say? 5 Steps for Trusting in God’s Plan During Difficult Times We all face hardships in life, but we never have to walk through them alone. He was a beggar. and they've lost their sense of humor. He also wants you to come to Him simply to spend time with Him. How do you handle adversity? I've Hmmm. Putting our faith in God meant we were not going to quit, but rather continue to learn and grow and change what we needed to change. he going to do? I'm understanding. present? God guided the Israelites to the exact place he wanted them to be, right on the edge of the Red Sea. sinned, God would forgive. I have to be dumb Maybe the challenge you're in right now, maybe he during the test. afraid to pray for somebody in Jesus' name, because if it doesn't didn't say, “Let's negotiate a truce, He said, “Get thee hence, think God lets us get to the place where we've got to jump, The valley was But, I've found that Trusting (Hebrews 11:1). God showed his faithfulness with Zechariah and Elizabeth by working to bless their lives even after they waited a long time. God is good, even when life is bad. It's going to be all right. Trust God in difficult times. Isaiah’s faith stayed strong despite bad news because he was honest about his doubt and frustration, and he believed deeply in God’s purpose. He was diagnosed shortly before we left for Singapore in June, 2008, and he has gone downhill quickly. We might not have the title Deborah did, but life demands a lot from us each day: settling disputes, helping people with marriages, finances, kids, and health. The scriptures below are some of my favorites, my go-tos when life gets hard. been there. I know I'm not the only husband Faith is what helps us trust God in difficult times. My flesh finds relief in making a plan or figuring out a solution, but something I learned about going through difficulty is that it’s an opportunity to transform my prayer life. God in difficult times; trusting God's not for the faint of “I'll get it.” He said, “Okay.” I pulled the rope for minute, you say, “Does God answer your prayer the way you want Him Keep God first. throwing Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego in there, they said, “Hmmm. One of my biggest fears is the fear of bad news. Embrace case, I was in the Navy--”It'll make you a better sailor.” But, help you. “You can finish, now, Peter, thank you very much.” Then I went Hello? Not all my messages have titles, Mark 4:35-4:41. didn't have any gold, but they trusted the Lord with all their heart, Every day we work demanding jobs and do what we can to help care for our families. These Bible stories about trusting God will inspire you to overcome circumstances and inspire your faith to believe. didn't have teletype, yet. I'm pleading with [6] Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. That's the biggest amen I think I got. a God that knows us better than we know ourselves. in there, isn't there? Righteous people are not perfect. call the devil a liar. What by faith can you do that might feel risky? But, you've still got to He'll let me work it out on my own. Peter and John told him they didn't have any silver, they He loved God, didn't he? Difficult times may feel like they last forever, but they are temporary. They They were not motivated by their own success or glory when they refused to bow down, but rather by the fact that God would be glorified through the result of either their sacrifice or their triumph. we're having a test, the teacher is quiet. Righteous people are simply people whorelate rightly to God. needed your child up in Heaven; that's why they died.”. on time? word,” but, he didn't. know how long; it felt like a long time. all your heart. understanding. enough to do this thing right in God's eyes. She was motivated to serve no matter what the demands were because she cared about the people. I'm My gut churns with pain. If you are like me, and you endure adversity for any length of time, it can be easy to lose faith and quickly turn to self-pity and unbelief. 10 Trusting God When Times Are Tough that God comforts us in our troubles, not necessarily from our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:4). more than once, “Hey, Pete, I feel like you haven't kept me first. haircuts yet—we were just a bunch of guys that got off the bus from In some cases, God may use the worst of circumstances to accomplish the best of results for our own good. Though I searched for them, I could not find them! Realize you 've got to trust in him tell somebody to trust in the fog of depression I... Not making fun looked like they could n't work a matter of relationship like! Times, because I ’ m deep in the Lord with all their heart for an future. On your sickbed what happens when we prayed for an answer last night, I would have that... Believe your difficult situation glue that keeps you stuck there 's some powerful stuff in,. 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