Super Nova Sunday: Hardships, Head Aches and Heart Breaks.

Are you going through a time of trial or sorrow right now? Depression is a commonplace ailment in the times we live in. Uncertain feelings and fears about the future, relationship problems, money problems, these lead to depression for many people. And if you’re one of them, pastor Al has some encouraging words for you today from Psalm eighty-nine.

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” A powerful verse, Psalm 55:22 touches on how you don’t have to go it alone when times are tough. Instead, turn to the Lord who will ‘sustain’ you and help you get through it.

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What does the Bible say about hard times?

God is going to make a man/woman out of you. It’s easier said than done but rejoice in your hard times by looking for the Lord in your situation. God is going to reveal Himself in your situation but when your eyes are focused on the problem it becomes harder to see Him.

God tells us to fix our eyes on Him. Eventually, you are going to see what God is doing or what God has done or you are going to be so focused on Him that you will not be focused on anything else.

In your suffering there is an intimate relationship with the Lord that grows stronger than in any other season of your life. Often we think we are cursed, but that is so far from the truth. Sometimes hard times show that you are so blessed.

You get to experience God unlike other believers around you. So many people are seeking the presence of the Lord to no avail. But, you have the opportunity to drop to your knees and enter into the presence of the Lord in sec

When everything is going well in our lives our heart is going in 10 different directions. When you’re going through trials you are more inclined to seek the Lord with all of your heart.

Henry T. Blackaby said, “Wisdom is not what you know about the world but how well you know God.” There is no greater time to grow in an intimate knowledge of God than when you are going through hard times.

Christian quotes about hard times

“Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best.”

“God gave you this life because he knew you were strong enough to live it.”

“Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep the faith. It will all be worth it in the end.”

“Hard times are sometimes blessings in disguise. Let it go and let it make you better.”

“When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

“The disappointment has come – not because God desires to hurt you or make you miserable or to demoralize you or ruin your life or keep you from ever knowing happiness. He wants you to be perfect and complete in every aspect, lacking nothing. It’s not the easy times that make you more like Jesus, but the hardtimes.” Kay Arthur

“Faith endures as seeing Him who is invisible; endures the disappointments, the hardships, and the heart-aches of life, by recognizing that all comes from the hand of Him who is too wise to err and too loving to be unkind.” A.W. Pink

“Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering…. The love of God did not protect His own Son…. He will not necessarily protect us – not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

“Hope has two beautiful daughters Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.” – Augustine

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” — Corrie ten Boom

“When you face difficult times, know that challenges are not sent to destroy you. They’re sent to promote, increase and strengthen you.”

“God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character. In fact, he depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than he depends on our reading the Bible.” – Rick Warren

“If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem be against us, we do not believe Him at all.” – Charles Spurgeon

It’s not because you sinned.

When I go through hard times I can get really discouraged. We all get discouraged and we start to think, “it’s because I sinned.” Satan loves to increase these negative thoughts. When Job was going through severe trials his friends accused him of sinning against the Lord.

We must always remember Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” God was angry at Job’s friends because they were speaking things on behalf of the Lord that were not true. Hard times are inevitable. Instead of thinking, “it’s because I sinned” do what Job did in the storm. Job 1:20, “he fell to the ground and worshiped.”

1. Job 1:20-22 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Watch out for discouragement in hard seasons

Be careful. Hard times often lead to discouragement and when discouragement happens we start to lose the fight we once had. Discouragement can lead to more sin, more worldliness, and eventually it can lead to backsliding. You must trust God with everything.

Until you have submitted to God you can’t resist the temptation of the enemy and he won’t flee from you. When discouragement seeks to take you run to God immediately. You must seek a lonely place to be still and worship the Lord.

2. 1 Peter 5:7-8 Casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

3. James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Hard times prepare you 

Not only do trials change you and make you stronger they prepare you to do God’s will and for future blessings. Recently Hurricane Matthew came our way. I was so preoccupied with other things that I didn’t have time to put up shutters. I felt so unprepared for the hurricane.

Before the storm hit, I was outside looking at the gray sky. I felt like God was reminding me that He has to prepare us for the things He has planned for us. In all things such as sports, careers, etc. you need preparation or you will not be ready for the things to come.

God has to prepare you for trials that might happen years from now. He has to prepare you for someone down the line who is going to desperately need your help. He has to prepare you for the very thing that you have been praying for. Often at the end of the trial is a blessing, but we have to press on to receive it. God has to change you, work in you, and prepare you before you are able to walk in the door.

If He doesn’t prepare you then you will be ill-equipped, you will falter, you will abandon God, you will be prideful, you won’t truly cherish what He has done, and more. God has to do a mighty work. It takes time to make a diamond.

4. Romans 5:3-4 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

5. Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

6. John 13:7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

7. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

Hard times don’t last.

Weeping lasts for a night. Hard times don’t last. The pain you’re feeling will end. Mary knew Jesus was going to die. Imagine the great suffering and the pain she went through inside. Take a second to realize that her pain didn’t last. Jesus died but He later resurrected.

Just as Psalm 30:5 says, “joy comes in the morning.” Your grief will turn into joy. Though a woman goes through labor pains that same pain she was feeling results in a great amount of joy. I encourage you to be patient.

Find the joy revealed in every situation. For all the sufferings we have in this world we will see the great work that God has done with that suffering. We will see the glory that comes from the pain and you can rest assured that joy will come from that glory.

8. Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

9. James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

10. Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

God is going to take you out of the fire. 

Sometimes doing God’s will is going to lead to being tossed in the fire. I’ve been in the fire on many occasions, but God has always brought me out. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego would not serve the gods of Nebuchadnezzar. They would not deny their God no matter what. Why are we not confident in our God? Look how confident they were in their God.

In chapter 3 verse 17 they said, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire.” God is able to deliver you! In rage Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fire. There is no denying that God’s people will be thrown into the fire, but Daniel 3 teaches us that the Lord is with us in the fire. In verse 25 Nebuchadnezzar said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm.”

If only 3 men were thrown into the fire who was the fourth man? The fourth man was the Son of God. You might be in the fire, but God is with you and you will eventually come out of the fire just like the three men did! Trust in the Lord. He will not forsake you.

11. Daniel 3:23-26 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire.

12. Psalm 66:12 You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

13. Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

When life is hard, remember God is in control

Once you realize that God is in control it will change your whole perspective on your situation. There is nothing random that happens in your life. Everything is under God’s sovereign control. Although you may be surprised God is not surprised when you run into trials.

He already knows and has a plan. Ephesians 1:11 tells us that, “God works all things after the counsel of His will.” You are safe in the arms of the Creator of the universe. Learn more with God is in control verses.

14. Acts 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we also are His children.

15. Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.

16. Psalm 139:1-2 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.

17. Ephesians 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.

God will deliver you!

It brings God so much glory when we call on Him when we are going through a tough situation. God is not a liar that He should lie. For all those who come to Him in their hard times God says, “I will deliver you.” Do not give up in prayer. God will not turn you away. God sees you.

He wants you to come to Him so He can deliver you and so you will honor Him. God is going to get glory from your situation. Everyone around you is going to see how God uses your trial for His glory. God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.”

The living God gives you an open invitation to come to Him with your problems and when you don’t that is foolishness. Stop robbing God of His glory by trying to be self-sufficient. Change your prayer life. Just wait. You say, “I’ve been waiting.” I say, “well keep on waiting! Keep on waiting until He delivers you and He will deliver you.”

Just believe! Why pray if you’re not going to believe that you will receive what you prayed for? Trust God that He will deliver you. Cry out to Him and keep your eyes open to what He is doing in your life.

18. Psalm 50:15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

19. Psalm 91:14-15 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

20. Psalm 145:18-19 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

21. Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

God promises that He will go before you in every situation.

You might be thinking to yourself, “where is God in my situation?” God is everywhere in your situation. He is ahead of you and He is all around you. Always remember that the Lord never sends His children into a situation alone. God knows what you need even when you think you know what is best.

God knows what time to deliver you even though we always want to be delivered in our time. I’m guilty of this. I think to myself, “If I hear one more preacher tell me to wait I’m going to go insane. I’ve been waiting.” However, while you were waiting have you been enjoying God? Have you been getting to know Him? Have you been growing in intimacy with Him?

You can pray and still walk alone and many of you reading this article have been doing this. Learn to walk with Christ daily. Through each experience as He walks with you, you will experience a greater revelation of Him. Even when you see no help in sight never forget that you serve a God who brings life out of death.

22. Mark 14:28 “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

23. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

24. Isaiah 45:2 This is what the LORD says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.”

25. Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.