Finding Strength in Trials: Leaning on God's Faithfulness
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Trials are an inevitable part of our lives as humans. Even as followers of Christ, we cannot escape them. They come in various forms and can shake us to our core.
However, in the midst of these challenges, we have a faithful and loving God who invites us to lean on Him for strength, comfort, and guidance. We have all experienced this, and I wanted to speak from my own personal experience, when I ended up in a hospital over Christmas of 2020 where a doctor told me I wouldn’t walk out alive.
This experience was the most important of my life, because if God could get me through that, He can get me through anything. And the same goes for you! I leaned on my faith, and that’s the only way I did not crumble during the dark recovery and why my relationship with God is stronger than ever today.
It’s easier to do so in the rearview mirror of course, but we all know that trials work wonders for strengthening our faith. They can also break it though.
In this post, I will highlight how to do the former, by exploring practical ways to lean on God during trials. This draws the truths of Scripture and my own personal experience of finding solace and hope in the midst of (extreme) adversity.
1. Pray, pray, then pray some more.
In times of trial, turn to God in fervent and heartfelt prayer. Pour out your worries, fears, and uncertainties before Him, knowing that He cares for you. Ask Him for wisdom, guidance, and the strength to endure. Be honest and vulnerable with God, expressing your emotions and doubts. Seek His presence and allow His peace to fill your heart as you entrust your situation into His loving hands.
Notice I said honest. It’s okay to acknowledge that you’re angry or hopeless. He already knows you are, FYI. So acknowledging can help you start to move forward away from the hopelessness.
2. Meditate on God's promises.
God's Word is filled with promises of His faithfulness, love, and provision. During trials, immerse yourself in Scripture, searching for passages that bring comfort and hope.
Meditate on these promises, letting them anchor your soul. Write them down, carry them with you, and repeat them in moments of doubt. Allow the truth of God's Word to shape your perspective and strengthen your faith, knowing that He is with you and will never leave you.
And if you’re a human like me, you might at times feel so overwhelmed that you don’t even know where in the Bible to start. Ask Him, and He’ll show you.
But as a start, here are some of my favorites when I’m anxious/scared/don’t know what to do:
Joshua 1:1-9.
Psalm 27:14.
Proverbs 3:5-6.
Matthew 6:31-34.
Philippians 4:6-7.
James 1:2-4.
3. Find support in a Christian community.
Here is an example as to why we are called to fellowship together. As a collective church, we are to mourn and rejoice together. That means helping support and lift each other up during the tough times.
Surround yourself with fellow believers who can offer support, encouragement, and prayer. Lean on your church family, small groups, or close friends who share your faith. Share your burdens with them and allow them to walk alongside you. Seek wise counsel and godly advice from those who have experienced similar trials. Together, lift one another up in prayer and find comfort in the knowledge that you are not alone.
4. Surrender and trust in God's plan.
I will say this again and again and again: God knows more than you do. Period.
In the midst of trials, surrender your circumstances and your own desires to God. Remember that it’s His will and not yours. That is a reminder that sometimes sucks to hear – I mean, we all want to win the lottery, no? – but ultimately since He knows more than you do, His will is WAY better than anything you could envision for yourself.
Trust that He has a purpose and a plan, even when it seems difficult to understand. Surrendering does not mean giving up; rather, it is an act of acknowledging God's sovereignty and relinquishing control to Him.
Trust that He is working all things together for your good, even if you cannot see it in the moment. Remember that His ways are higher than our ways, and His timing is perfect.
5. Draw strength from past victories/answered prayers.
Reflect on past trials and challenges that God has brought you through. Remember His faithfulness, provision, and deliverance in those situations. Allow these testimonies to strengthen your faith and renew your hope. Just as God was with you in the past, He is with you now, and He will be with you in the future. Draw from the well of God's faithfulness and use it as a source of encouragement and assurance during your current trial.
This is also why I highly, highly recommend that you keep a prayer journal and record when God answered those prayers. Seeing that in black and white can be a huge source of strength that God hasn’t forgotten you before, so He won’t forget you now.
6. Praise Him and be grateful.
It doesn’t come naturally to be grateful and praise God in the midst of tribulation. But this is actually the best time to do it because it redirects your thoughts upward.
In the midst of trials, intentionally cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Count your blessings, no matter how small they may seem. Give thanks to God for His goodness and provision in your life. Praise Him for who He is and for His unwavering love. Expressing gratitude and praise shifts your focus from your circumstances to the greatness of God, filling your heart with joy and peace.
A little tip: it’s easier to develop this praise habit when you aren’t going through a valley; that way it is second nature to you and comes more easily when you do hit that inevitable valley.
Trials are challenging, but they are often presented as an opportunity for spiritual growth to cultivate a deeper reliance on God. As we lean on God’s promises, we discover that God is with us in every trial. He is our refuge, our strength, and our source of hope. Since He is faithful, ultimately no trial will break us if we lean on Him.
Because remember, you have to go through a valley to get to the top of a mountain.
If you want to read more about how I leaned on God during the darkest time of my life and came out stronger and happier as a result, I chronicled it all I Faith in Crisis: From My Father’s Deathbed to My Own.
See, I started 2020 grieving my dad’s death and ended it in the hospital with a physician telling me I wouldn’t walk out alive.
The next 3 months ended up being some of the best of my life as I watched God perform miracle after miracle because I was so broken that I had no choice but to lean totally on Him.
I wrote this as encouragement that God is listening to you in your time of need and is working in the background for your good.
His timing is perfect; ultimately all you have to do is lean on Him and wait.
