Four times God tells us not to give up
Braeden Howard
No matter how hard we pray, at times it can feel like God is taking an eternity to show up and do something about our circumstances. In those moments, Satan wants to use our impatience to convince us to doubt God’s faithfulness.
God reminds us through the Bible that He is with us and He has not forgotten us.
4 Verses to Remember When Hard Times Hit
1. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
When we experience affliction — whether it's the death of a family member, the pain of divorce, or the heartbreak of a disobedient child — the author of Romans tells us to be patient. Pray earnestly. God can work anything out for our good and His glory.
2. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
It’s not easy to keep doing the right thing when it feels like you’re getting nothing in return. The Bible promises if we will persevere, we will see a return on our investment. Our words and actions can make an eternal impact on the people around us. We might not know the legacy we left on this side of eternity, but we can trust that Jesus will bless our hard work.
3. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
When you feel beaten down, when you’re too tired to keep going, remember we are promised the crown of life. Our reward in heaven is worth the trials we face on earth — the same way the exhilaration of completing your first marathon is worth the pain of training and running it.
4. “In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears” (2 Samuel 22:7).
God always hears us when we call on Him. He doesn’t always give us what we want, but He always gives us what is best for us. If we trust the Lord, even when we don’t understand, we can begin to see where the Lord is working in our lives, whether it’s experiencing His faithfulness through a financial need or His goodness through our Christian friendships that show us support and encouragement. When we ask for help and then seek God, He will open our eyes to experience Him in new ways that bring us closer to Him.
God’s understanding is far greater than ours and we have to trust that His timing is perfect.
We serve a mighty God who will never abandon us and who wants the best for our lives. It’s not always easy to wait in a world of instant gratification. But if we stop limiting God to our own deadlines, demands, and desires, we can experience a calmness amidst the chaos in our lives.