So Life Has Taken a Turn For The Worse? Here’s How To Get Through

“I don’t think I can keep going. I don’t think I can send one more application."

Those words tumbled out of my mouth while sitting with a friend at a coffeeshop. After months of rejection emails and phone calls, it was becoming harder to find a job and even harder to keep going. I was tired and close to giving up.

If we’ve lived for any time at all, we’ve been disappointed. The job didn’t work out, and neither did the relationship. The bills came and sat unpaid. The doctor called with bad news. Life can be tough and we can get weary. After just the right amount of hardship, it is easy to crumble.

Jesus talked about falling on hard times. He even went so far as to promise we would fall on hard times (John 16:33). What do we do when the scales tip a little too far away from easy? What do we do when life is less smooth sailing and more bumpy road?

Four Places to Start When Life Is Hard:

1. Cry Out

The things we face are often way too large to handle on our own. We are created with a deep need for God. Acknowledge you can’t do this on your own.

Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” Cry out to God and ask Him to take on the fight.

2. Be Where You Are

It’s tempting to believe that if God is with us, our circumstances would be more rosy than they are. Scripture never promises easy lives, but it does promise the Lord will be with us in the midst of any trouble (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking about what your life “should” be like. If you are in a tough season, don’t waste your time fretting over better circumstances. Be right where you are, and trust the Lord is there with you, too.

Be right where you are, and trust the Lord is there with you, too.

3. Remember

Hebrews 13:8 describes the Lord as “the same yesterday and today and forever,” and because the Lord never changes, remembering how He has been faithful in the past is a reminder to us of how He will be faithful now.

If we live any length of life, there will be more tough days ahead. Cataloging the Lord’s past faithfulness is a tool we can use to fight doubt and fear.

4. Move Forward

The easiest response to difficulty is to cower away in fear and not do anything. It’s OK to be afraid, but we must be willing to keep going in spite of the fear. A good demonstration of our faith is to move forward even though we feel afraid. Psalm 56:3 talks about when we feel afraid — not if, but when — we can put our trust in God. Make the doctor’s appointment, take the test, send the application. Do it with trembling hands, but still do it.

Jesus promised this life will often be tough, yes, but He never intended for us to carry the weight of this life alone. The only way to stomach today's hardship is to know that Jesus will be right in the middle with us.

Cry out. Believe Jesus is with you. Keep going.