Remember What You Know

Some of the most impactful spiritual lessons I have ever learned is when I’ve faced challenging and difficult times. I have found truth in lessons about who Jesus is really do win the argument in the negative situations I may be facing.

I have also found that most, if not all, challenges I face have an underlying goal—to skew my perception of God’s righteousness, faithfulness, and love. And, I think our enemy intends it that way. But when I practice what I have learned in Christ, I find strength and renewed hope. And I believe it is this power that will carry me to the end.

The Apostle Paul describes his perspective on tough times in his letter to Timothy: "I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:11–12

Today, I want to share with you five simple truth-filled lessons that have changed my perspective of the problems I may be facing, aided me in how to pray when my faith is challenged, shaped my faith, and solidified my walk during hard and difficult seasons.

You Are Never Alone

While it may seem that God is more distant in times of trouble, I’d like to suggest that there is an opportunity for us to seek Him in these times and ask: “Lord, how are You revealing Yourself to me in this situation I’m facing? How are You being glorified in this trial?”

When we cannot see Him during our difficult challenges is when we most need God to share His purposes with us. The Prophet Jeremiah says, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you, says the Lord.”

Remember What You Know

Psalm 77 portrays precisely the conflict of the psalmist’s heart as he faced trial and tribulation. When his circumstances threatened to convince him that God had forgotten him, the psalmist articulated exactly what each one of us does in our propensity to forget God’s goodness and miracles. It’s as though the Psalm conveys that the real battle is to obliterate God’s righteous goodness from our memory forever.

The Psalmist makes a choice in verse 11: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago”. By the time he finishes writing, not only has he encouraged himself through remembrance of the Lord’s great goodness but he is now exalting the magnificent power of our God!

Choose Gratitude

“All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast” is what we read in Proverbs 15:15 (NASB). Consider the value of this scripture. It plainly lays out the difference between a miserable life and a wonderful life. We can choose the negative, bad feelings and live afflicted by them, or we can consider that a continual feast is an option, one that is within the reach of every believer.

When the Scriptures say in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” I believe it talks about God imparting to us the thankful, grateful, and cheerful attributes of His own nature.

And this joyful feast satisfies us and sustains us in hardship. It is served right before the eyes of our enemy, and he can do nothing about it—except hate it and retreat far away for it renders him useless and of no effect in our lives.

Pray for Others

We find this example in the life of Job when the Lord restores the fortunes of Job after he prays for his friends (see Job 42:7–10 RSV).

One thing we see in that passage is the example of a man interceding on behalf of his friends and God taking it very seriously. But the most significant of all is that Job was not yet healed nor restored when he prayed. This passage is helpful in understanding the power of intercession for others and is setting an example for us to take during our own hardships.

What might happen if we all took the same posture as Job? Job’s actions of praying for his friends in this story are remarkable—to not only be able to take his focus off of himself but to do it in humility, willingly, and obediently is a tried and true lesson for all of us indeed.

Proclaim It on the Rooftops

I don’t know much, but one thing I do know: I was blind and now I see (John 9:25, paraphrased). Talk about the Lord’s goodness with others. Share His Word, His promises, His miracles; the ones He has done for you, the ones you read about, the ones He has done for others, and the ones you are believing Him for! Talk about them, write about them, sing about them, shout them aloud—but whatever you do, make them known!

And lastly, I believe the greatest battle we face in difficult and trying times is trying to avoid accusing God and living offended. Accusation and offense draw us away from Him. Perhaps practicing these simple steps in prayer and conversation might help us find our safe place hidden in God, under the shadow of His wings.

Hold on. Stay steady. Don’t quit. God is for you.

May you find His grace to help in your time of trouble (Hebrews 4:16). May you experience God granting you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner man (Ephesians 3:16).