Hard Times
Getting Through Hard Times
by Joyce Meyer
Are you going through a hard time?
Maybe you recently lost your job, or you're
dealing with a death in your family.
Or maybe you're just not sure anything good
in life can happen to you.
Whatever you're dealing with, I want you to
know that you're not alone and something good can come from the tough spot
you're in right now.
God promised.
Jesus experienced hard times too … the road
to the cross was no small matter.
But He had to decide to go through it. He even asked God if it was really necessary. (But
we know how this amazing love story ended.)
Just like Jesus had to make a choice, you and
I also have to decide to go through hard times.
Is
Good Friday Really Good?
As we celebrate
His resurrection, I like to look at how we go through our own hard times.
I think we also go through our own private
crucifixion and resurrection on a somewhat regular basis.
Often I say "Friday always comes before Sunday."
Ever wonder why we refer to the day of Jesus'
death as"Good" Friday,
since it's a day that involved so much pain, agony and heartache?
Well, it's because the result of this
particular Friday -Christ's resurrection from the dead on Sunday - was
good.
In our daily lives, we need to believe that
when we go through hard times, the result will be good.
But when we're hurting, probably one of the
most challenging things for us to remember is that God is going to work it out
for our good.
The
Only One You Can Trust
All things do work together for our good!
My husband, Dave, says this is a key
scripture for Christians when we go through hard or disappointing times.
When something doesn't happen the way we
would like it to happen, we can believe God will work things out for good. It's
the place we can always come back to in every kind of trial.
Now this doesn't mean the trials are
necessarily good, but God can work them out for our good because He is awesome.
You have to be some kind of awesome God to be
able to take bad things and turn them around for good!
If we love God and really want His will for
our life, I think it's safe to say that we can trust Him to bring good from
it—no matter what happens to us.
Even if we have to take detours because of
our own stupidity or if we're innocent but someone else gets involved and
brings hurt and pain into our life, we can trust God to work it out.
I like to say, "No person on earth and no devil in
hell can keep me from God's will."
The
Crucifixion: Growing in Hard Times
It's comforting to
really believe things will work out okay … even on a day like Good Friday, with
so much suffering and pain.
When nothing made sense and everything was
hard, God worked it out for good—bringing the greatest blessing mankind will
ever receive!
We can believe Friday was good because of the
result it brought, not because of what happened at the time.
I know after I have gone through a really
hard time, I've looked back and thought that I wouldn't even be half the person
I am now if that wouldn't have happened.
Haven't many of us experienced this? Don't we
wish we could just grow in good times?
But we only seem to really grow during hard
times.
I think it's because it's during those times
that we really press into God and go to a deeper level in our relationship with
Him. Why? Because we have to.
It's our only choice if we want to make it
through the difficulty.
When we trust God, He gives us the comfort of
knowing that He can work bad things out for our good.
Two
Sides of the Cross
There are usually
two sides to everything.
The cross has two: a crucifixion side and a
resurrection side.
And Jesus had to endure one side to get to
the other. But if He hadn't endured, then we'd all still be left without a
Savior and no forgiveness of our sins.
Hebrews 12:2 says
that Jesus, “for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the cross—the
resurrection—endured the pain.”
Like Jesus, we have to endure bad things.
To endure means to outlast the devil; to be
steadfast long enough to let the trial do whatever it's going to do in our
lives and get from one side of the cross to the other.
The
Grave: Waiting for a Good Ending
Now, we don't just
go from Friday to Sunday.
We have to learn to endure Saturday, which I
think is sometimes the hardest to do. We'll call it the middle.
In everything, there's a beginning, an end,
and a middle. The beginning is sometimes a little bit exciting because it's a
new thing.
And the end is certainly exciting because
it's where we experience the victory.
But, oh … that middle!
The Saturdays may be even harder than the
Fridays because on Saturday, we're in the grave and we're not sure what's going
to happen next.
Most of the time, we don't know how long the
middle's going to last, and although God knows … He's not telling.
(Isn't He great at keeping secrets?)
So we need to remember that when we're going
through the middle of something, we can be assured Sunday always comes after
Friday.
But we have to endure Saturday—we have to
outlast the devil, Remain steadfast and not give up or quit.
When we do, we will enjoy the resurrection
benefits and blessings that come on Sunday.
The
Resurrection: Making It Through
So, I want to
remember that Jesus endured the cross because He knew what was waiting on the
other side of it.
In our daily lives, we are going to have to endure
some things, and we're going to face some hard times. But the only way to do it
is to go through it.
Whether we're hit by an unexpected
circumstance, suffering for doing something wrong or for resisting temptation
and sin by doing what's right, we have to go through things.
But waiting for you on the other side of the
hard times is the joy of obtaining the prize—the good result.
If you are walking through the valley right now because
of a death, an accident, a serious medical condition, a financial crisis, the
loss of a job or any other tragedy, stand on God's immovable promises and let
His words bring security to your soul.
Let God's promises guide you like signal lights through
your dark valley. The future is bright on the other side.
Are you struggling with a big decision or wondering how
your eternal future will play out?
Why not talk to the God of the universe and let Him work
in your behalf?
He says, “I will instruct you and teach you
the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).
Ask God to show you what to do. Pray the following
prayer:
“Heavenly Father,
I admit that I am a sinner and my sins have
separated me from You. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and
begin a new life with You.
Please forgive me. I now receive your Son,
Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I believe and confess that
Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.
I want to receive all that Jesus Christ has
provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the
name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).
I believe and confess that Jesus Christ is
the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, but by Him.
Lord Jesus, I pray and ask You, to come into
my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You that you have given me eternal
life, and according to Your Word, I am born again.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of
the Holy Spirit Who is in me now. I surrender my life to You. I promise to
study Your Word – the Bible.
Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
This
article is taken from Joyce's audio teaching, Tests, Trials and Temptations.
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At the Cross
Isaac Watts
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lyrics
1. Alas!
and did my Savior bleedAnd did my Sov’reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
o Refrain:
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
2. Thy
body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His soul in anguish stood.
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His soul in anguish stood.
3. Was
it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
4. Well
might the sun in darkness hideAnd shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.
5. Thus
might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.
6. But
drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
’Tis all that I can do.
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
’Tis all that I can do.
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