Standing Strong in Hard Times

Standing strong in hard times isn’t just for other people. You can be an overcomer! You may feel like you’re living in a black and white world, but God wants to bring back the living color.

 

As you learn to believe God and bask in His presence, you’ll discover wild hope—hope beyond your wildest imagination. When life tries to drag you down, you make new choices and keep telling yourself the truth.

 

Basking in His presence

You can tell yourself the truth in many ways. When you read the Bible, God’s truth in written form, consider reading the words out loud. When you pray—which is talking with God—you might choose to speak out loud instead of praying silently to yourself.

 

Or, write your prayers in a journal or notebook. Remember and record the good things He’s done, and how He’s come through for you in the past.

 

Read the Psalms for healing words of hope in hard times and discouragement. Like Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

 

Remember that the Lord really just wants to spend time with you. He wants you to linger, to “hang out,” to bask.

 

Think of the most beautiful full moon you’ve seen. Perhaps it’s a harvest moon hanging low in the October night sky. The moon reflects the light of the sun because it has “basked” in its brightness. And in the dark of night it shines brightly.

 

Likewise, as we bask in the light of the Son, Jesus Christ—as we spend time abiding—His light will shine brighter through us.

 

Having wild hope

Wild hope means hoping anyways, even when you feel you haven’t got a chance. It is daring to believe that God will come through for you even in your toughest times.

 

You never know where help will come from. It just may surprise you who (or what) God will use to bring relief to your situation. It may be something tangible like a hug from a friend or an unexpected check in the mail. Liberation may come from acceptance of the situation, or from forgiving someone who’s wronged you.

 

Believe God, bask in His presence, and pray, expecting things to change. Then, one day you will begin to feel something unusual: joy. Darkness begins to flee as the sunshine of hope rises in your heart like the dawn of a new day.

 

Dare to believe that the One who can do anything is at work even now restoring you and rebuilding your life.