Tag Archives: hard times

July 7, 2026 · 5:50 AM

When God Seems Silent

I was talking with someone the other day about ways to help someone who is really going through it. One of the suggestions they had was for the person to help someone else who is going through something worse than they are. That helps give perspective on their situation and gets the focus off of you and onto others. One of my suggestions was to have them try to recount all the prayers God has answered in their life. That helps them to shift focus from their problem to God who is able to take care of the situation. It also reminds them that they’ve been in tight spots before and God showed up. Sometimes in the middle of our problems we forget that God hasn’t abandoned us before and He’s not going to today.

I love Psalm 77 because it’s an honest prayer by Asaph when Jerusalem was under siege. Things were bad with no escape in sight. The report was that no one would survive. He has sleepless nights, fears of what ifs and questions of God’s goodness. He wrote, “Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?” (NLT) These are all real questions we face when going through a hard time. This man led worship on the Temple and was chosen by King David, yet he struggled with questions doubting God’s goodness in the middle of a hard time. However, his psalm doesn’t end there.

In verses 11-12 he changed his perspective. He wrote, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.” By doing this, he switched his momentary perspective of God to an eternal one. In the moment, sometimes it doesn’t feel like God is good, but when we look back across a lifetime and history of creation, we can clearly see the track record of His goodness. He also decided to meditate on the things God has done in the past rather than his problems of the present. In doing so, Asaph remembered, “Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters— a pathway no one knew was there!” God’s deliverance comes when no one sees a way out and it’s often a path that unseen in the moment. We must keep trusting God, remember all He’s done and be prepared for Him to make a way where there seems to be no way.

Photo by Leo_Visions on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 29, 2026 · 5:48 AM

God’s Hidden Fingerprints

In some of the hardest times of my life, I remember calling out to God, “Where are you? Help me!” I felt like I was drowning and God was nowhere near me. I even got upset and angry at Him for allowing me to go through such pain and loss. After some time had passed, I began reflecting on that period. I began to see God’s hand in the circumstances that I couldn’t see in the moment. The further I’ve gotten away from it, the more I see how God was right there with me walking through it, guiding me and leading me to where I am now. There wasn’t a portion of my life that His fingerprints weren’t on. He was there in the darkness with me.

The book of Ruth is only one of two books of the Bible where God does not speak directly or intervene in a miraculous way. Naomi had left her home because of a famine. While away her husband and two sons had died leaving her destitute in a foreign land. She wanted people to call her “Bitter” because of how bad things were. She felt God had abandoned her too. However, you can’t read Ruth without seeing God’s hand in it all. She returned at the beginning of harvest. Ruth happened to walk into the field of Boaz. He happened to be there and see her. Even the other kinsman redeemer declined to take Ruth. God had it all worked out and created a family line that included King David and Jesus.

In Isaiah 45:3 God was speaking to Cyrus, but I believe it shows how God still operates with us. He said, “I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name” (NLT). God will give you hidden treasures in the darkest times. You won’t be able to see them in the moment, but with the light of perspective, you can. He has not forgotten you, nor has He abandoned you. He is calling you by name even now. When you take a moment to reflect on your life, I believe you will see the fingerprints of God all over it – especially in the darkest times.

Photo by Kostas Exarhos from Pexels.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 18, 2026 · 5:30 AM

An “I Will” Attitude

One of my favorite shows is Alone. They take ten people, put them in a hostile environment with ten items and have them survive until everyone taps out. It appeals to me for many reasons, but one of my favorite parts is when the contestants have been alone and hungry for about 30 days. There is a huge psychological battle every contestant faces as they document themselves on this journey. Some grow to hate the location, the hunger, the isolation and the constant struggle for food and water. Then there are others who are in a similar location a few miles away that get ahold of the negative thoughts and begin speaking positive words instead. In every case, the ones who continue to speak negatively tap out of the contest. The one who can continue to find positive things through the struggle is the one who wins.

I’m not sure there’s another person in the Bible besides Jesus who suffered more than Paul. He was imprisoned multiple times in jails that were dark, nasty and had no humanitarian standards for prisoners. He was shipwrecked, beaten to a pulp many times, dragged out of cities, lied about, stoned, robbed, left for dead and abandoned. The things he went through, many of us couldn’t survive. However, Paul kept preaching the Gospel, writing letters and encouraging others through it all. My favorite story is when he was in the dungeon of a prison, bleeding and hungry, and he started singing praises to God for all to hear. No matter how bad things were, he found a way to praise and refocus his attention on God instead of his circumstances.

David was a lot like him too. In Psalm 34:1-2 David penned, “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart” (NLT). He didn’t say, “I want to praise the Lord at all times.” He was saying, “I will,” as in he’s not going to give his mind the choice to do anything else. Do you have have an “I will praise the Lord at all times” attitude? You need to decide that attitude ahead of your circumstances, but even if you’re in the middle of hard times now, you can still choose it now. Praising God doesn’t change your circumstances, it changes you in the middle of them. It strengthens you and puts your focus on the One who is greater than what you’re facing. If you haven’t chosen to praise the Lord at all times, do it today and put it into practice. He deserves to be praised in the good times and the bad.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

April 30, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Conditioning

When I was in high school I played basketball. I loved being on the team, but I always hated the start of the season. I’m not talking about the first few games though. When we were allowed to start practicing, coach would spend the first few weeks conditioning our bodies and getting us back into shape. We ran sprints, horses, long distances, did calisthenics, jumped over benches and more exercises. I don’t remember touching a basketball those first few weeks. It was painful and my body was sore. I spent a lot of time soaking in epsom salt trying to recover. However, once the season started, we were better conditioned than any team and could out run them and wear them out giving us lots of victories. It turns out coach had a plan the whole time.

We read the story of Joseph in the late chapters of Genesis. When he was just a teenager, God gave him dreams that his family would now down to him. Foolishly, he told his brothers all about them. Being the younger brother, he probably rubbed it in while wearing the special coat his dad made for him. It’s clear that he wasn’t ready to lead at that time. His brothers then decided to kill him, but sold him into slavery instead. He was then falsely accused of trying to rape his master’s wife and thrown in prison where he was forgotten. He went through this period of conditioning for 13 years before God exalted him to be second in command of Egypt. When he ruled Egypt, we see a very different person because of what he went through.

Psalm 66:12 says, “You’ve allowed our enemies to prevail against us. We’ve passed through fire and flood, yet in the end you always bring us out better than we were before, saturated with your goodness” (TPT). God allows us to go through storms and difficult times in order to condition us for the plans He has for us. His plans are good, but we are often not ready to fulfill them yet. In His processes, we are changed for the better and made ready to receive His promises. If you’re going through a tough time right now, hang in there. God is building your endurance and your character so that you’re able to handle what’s coming and help others. Conditioning doesn’t last forever. Victory is on the way.

Photo by Adolfo Florêncio on Pexels.

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

April 29, 2026 · 5:44 AM

Bitter Seasons

In Ruth 1, when Naomi returned from the land of Moab, she was in a season of loss and grief. She said, “Do not call me Naomi (sweetness); call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has caused me great grief and bitterness” (AMP). Her story reminds me of a few things. First, tough seasons reveal what we believe about God. Our pain often distorts our perspective of God. We question His goodness, blame Him for everything that’s gone wrong and decide we’ll never ask Him for anything again. God is not afraid of these raw moments or what they expose in our life. In moments like these, I try to put things back in perspective and look at God’s character throughout eternity instead of the lens of the moment.

Secondly, these seasons cause us to isolate. In this story, Naomi tried to send Ruth and her other daughter in law away. Bitterness tries to convince us that being alone is safer than being with people who love us. However, God often brings Ruth’s along side us during these seasons. They are people who refuse to leave, aren’t intimidated by our grief and won’t let us walk alone. They may not understand the pain you’re going through, but God has graced them with the work of restoration. I believe they are a sign to us of God’s mercy in hard times. Instead of continuously pushing them away, embrace what God is trying to do through them.

Finally, bitterness often blinds us to what God is doing behind the scenes. Naomi couldn’t see the harvest in Bethlehem that was waiting to be gleaned, the kinsman redeemer in the field looking for Ruth or the lineage to the Messiah she would now be a part of. Bitter season often reveal how limited our vision is and how active God’s hand is. I’m reminded of Psalm 126:5 that says, “They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.” Every sorrow we surrender to Him becomes seed in what was once barren ground. Every tear becomes prayer that waters those seeds. God does not waste bitter seasons. Instead He turns them into fertile soil for future harvests. God is already doing the work of restoration even though you can’t see His hand now. The time of joy is on the way.

Photo by Atiar Ahmed on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

April 16, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Looking On The Inside

In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul chose to listen to the people he was leading rather than God. Because of his continuous disobedience God tore the kingdom from him to give to someone who was better than him. As Samuel mourned for Saul, God told him to go to Bethlehem to anoint a new king from Jesse’s house. When Jesse’s firstborn went in front of Samuel, he looked at his height and build. He immediately thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed.” Then in 1 Samuel 16:7, God replied, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NLT).

In the next chapter, King Saul and the Israelites are ready for battle with the Philistines when Goliath steps out. He challenged them to a one on one fight to determine the winner of the battle. Looking at his outward appearance and hearing his words, Israel became fearful. For forty days this happened until David showed up. Instead of seeing an intimidating, undefeatable giant, he saw victory through God’s strength. He offered to fight, but people laughed at him. When he went onto the battlefield, even Goliath laughed because he was looking at the outward appearance of things. David won the battle that day because he knew who God was and he stepped onto the battlefield risking everything and giving God the chance to show up.

1 John 4:4 reminders us, “The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” I don’t know what giant you’re facing or how your situation looks. I do know that God is greater than it and more powerful. It’s time you quit looking on the outside of the situation and started looking inside of you. God does not give you fear. He gives you power (2 Timothy 1:7). If you’re feeling outmatched and overwhelmed with defeat on the horizon for certain, step aside for a minute, pray and remember who is within you. Through Christ Jesus we have victory and nothing we face is too big for Him. Your giant is small and helpless compared to Him. Quit looking on the outside and start looking on the inside.

Photo by Tyrel Johnson on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 4, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Yet I Will Praise Him

If you’ve ever read the book of Job, you may have found yourself feeling sorry for him. There may have been times in your life when you’ve even related to him too. I know I have had those moments. When you go through periods of loss or continuous disappointment, Job is a great book to read. You will find that there’s always someone who has it worse than you, there is purpose in pain and that you can endure anything. I don’t know how many times I’ve read the book, but I can tell you that I’m still amazed when I come to the end of the first chapter. After Job has lost all his livestock, his riches and his children, he doesn’t curse God. He doesn’t cry out, “Why me?” Instead, it says he fell to his knees and worshipped God. He recognized that everything he had came from God, and if God took it all back, he was good with it.

I can honestly say that during my times of great disappointment and loss, that was not my attitude. To stand on rock bottom in life, look up from the hole you’re in and bless God seems unfathomable, yet Job was able to. If he was able to, you and I are to. He made the choice to worship instead of to whine. He chose to bless God instead of to curse Him. He made the choice to recognize everything he had belonged to God and wasn’t a result of His own work. The perspective he had challenges me to readjust and calibrate how I see God and how I react in the bad times. It’s easy to worship when things are going well, but can we worship when everything seems to be going wrong? Can we praise Him when our prayers are unanswered? Can we thank Him when we don’t see a way forward? Can you say, “Even though I’m broken, yet will I praise you”?

Habakkuk 3:17-18 says, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (NLT) There’s a very similar picture here to the attitude Job had and that we are to have. Joy is not something that is circumstantial. It doesn’t rely on what’s going on around you. Joy looks at where your strength comes from. It looks at who your hope is in. It is defiant in the face of any circumstance you may face, and it says, “My hope is not in all, these things. My hope is in God. No matter what comes my way, I know that my God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask or pray for. Even though things look bad now, yet will I praise God! He is my rock, my fortress and my salvation.” You and I have that same spirit of joy within us. In tough times, activate it and worship. Remind yourself that God is in control, He has a plan and that no matter what happens you will continue to trust and to praise Him.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 1, 2025 · 5:43 AM

Trust The Process

One of the lessons in life we have to learn is that everyone will go through difficult times. In Matthew 5:45 Jesus said that God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust. So hard times are not just part of life, they’re part of God’s plan for you. It matters how we respond in them, how we trust in them and how we grow in them. Honestly, it’s hard to see God’s hand when we are going through a difficult time, but I’ve learned that He’s always there in them guiding me and shaping me through them. When you get further away from them and look back, it’s easier to see His hand at work during those times. That’s why how we respond in them matters.

In Genesis 37, Joseph was a young boy who did things that made his brothers hate him. Being his father’s favorite didn’t help. When God gave him dreams about his brothers bowing down to him, it set off a chain of events that saw his brothers beat him up, sell him as a slave, he was falsely accused and sent to prison where he was forgotten. He trusted God through years of difficulties knowing that somehow God would use these circumstances to fulfill the dream. It’s hard to hard to look ahead when times are hard, so Joseph simply trusted God’s plan. In one day he was freed and placed second in command of Egypt. It may have seemed like it suddenly happened, but it was years in the making as God grew and shaped Joseph. When his brothers arrived and bowed down, he didn’t gloat. Instead he forgave.

In Genesis 50:20 Joseph told them, “Even though you intended to hurt me, God intended it for good. It was his plan all along, to ensure the survival of many people” (TPT). Joseph was able to see God had caused it to rain in his life, not because he had done anything wrong, but so that others could be saved as a result of his suffering. When you look back at the hardest times of your life, what do you see God doing? I can see Him repositioning me and reshaping me. If you’re feeling forgotten right now or going through the hardest time of your life, keep trusting God’s plan. You may not get the perspective right away to see what He’s doing, but if you trust Him and the process, He will make sure that all things work together for your good and the good of others.

Photo by Kristjan Kotar on Unsplash

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 20, 2025 · 5:32 AM

Spiritual Grit

Since I was a kid I have loved the story of David Wilkerson. He was a young pastor that God called to the gangs of New York City. They continuously rejected him and his message. He knew if he could convert the gang leader, Nicky Cruz, the rest would follow. At one point Nicky pulled out a switchblade knife and threatened to kill David and chop him up. Instead of backing down, David told him that every drop of blood would cry out that Jesus loved him. David’s spiritual grit kept doing what God called him to no matter what. Eventually Nicky gave his heart to the Lord and so did several gang members.

Nehemiah was another person who had spiritual grit. He was living in captivity and got a burden to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He returned and started rebuilding them with the Jews who remained in the land. In chapter 4 their enemies were upset that they were rebuilding and threatened to attack. Instead of backing down, Nehemiah had the people build with one hand and carry a sword in the other. In verse 17 he encouraged the workers by saying, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (NLT) They completed the work in record time.

Hebrews 10:36 says, “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” God didn’t promise that you wouldn’t have trouble or opposition. Instead He told us to buckle down and keep going despite it. The easy thing is to hide until hard times pass, but if we want to see God’s will and plan for our life come to fruition, we must pick up our sword in one hand and continue working with the other. We need to have spiritual grit to receive all God has promised to us. We need the kind that continues doing Gods will even in the hard times and endures whatever comes our way.

Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 11, 2025 · 5:34 AM

Finding Peace

There have been many times in my life where circumstances wanted to rule my emotions and dictate my behavior. We all face these stresses in life. Sometimes they’re from a monetary circumstance, a relationship, a job or sickness. If we allow worry and stress to consume our mind, we will be a mess.its hard not to let them rule your thoughts life during those times. What do those thoughts and emotions accomplish or solve? Nothing. The best advice I heard someone give was that you can’t control your circumstances or the chaos in your life, but you can control where your thoughts live. Keep them on the One who can control those things and you will have peace.

In Daniel 6, Daniel faced people who didn’t like him and were trying to set traps for him. They were trying to ruin his career, his reputation and his life. He didn’t let it rattle him. He continued stopping everything he was doing several times a day to pray. When the king had him put in the lion’s den, we don’t hear anything out of Daniel. The king was stressed over it and couldn’t sleep. However, Daniel kept his thoughts in check and had peace while he was surrounded by lions. Even though he should have been devoured by his circumstance, he wasn’t and God delivered him.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (NLT) God offers us peace in any circumstance we face if we will keep our thoughts fixed on Him. A good way to do that is to look up God’s promises, His names and other Bible verses where God delivered people. You can also spend time in focused prayer where you shut out the world and get alone with God. He is the One who gives wisdom, bring healing, provides and sees you. If you want peace in whatever comes your way, start by fixing your thoughts on Him.

Photo by Olga Gasheva on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,