Remember

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
Deuteronomy 7:9
 
 In case you didn’t know… life is hard.
 
I feel like so many people in my circle are struggling with significant life circumstances right now. From illness, to rocky marriages, to financial issues, a lot is going on.
 
How should we as believers in Christ respond in difficult times? I’ve recently found my own family in some challenging spots. Through it all, the word “remember” keeps coming to mind.
 
I think there are three things we should focus on when hard times hit.
 
Remember God’s Faithfulness in your Past.
 
I grew up in poverty.
 
My pastor father, who transitioned to a Bible school teacher, and then to a farmer, was hardly rewarded financially for his career choices. With a stay-at-home wife and five kids, things were very tight most of the time. I can only imagine the stress my parents experienced at times as they struggled to provide for their young family. Nonetheless, the Lord showed up time after time. From the crazy ways God provided little things like toilet paper (ok, maybe that’s not little), to friends dropping off groceries at just the right time, the evidence was clear: God loved us and took care of us daily. My parents were diligent to share specifically how the Lord was meeting our needs – both in the midst of those challenges, and for years afterwards. God was faithful to provide for my needs as a child … and it helped me embrace the reality that he’ll be faithful to meet today’s needs and the needs of my family.
 
Remember God’s Faithfulness in the Lives of Others.
 
Most of us can recall stories of God’s faithfulness in the lives of our friends. If not, take the time to ask your friends to share how God has met their needs or carried them through difficult times. The stories of others can be incredibly encouraging in our current situations. God is good, and he shows it all the time – even if we don’t feel it in the moment. Simply listen to testimonies of God’s amazing grace – and take them as evidence He cares.
 
Remember What God has Said.
 
Our Father promises never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5,6).  
 
Again, we may not feel like he’s with us at times, but that doesn’t stop it from being true. Take his Word to heart and trust in what He says, for we know according to Proverbs 30:5 that, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
 
So…next time you’re tempted to throw up your hands in despair. Take a moment to reflect on true accounts of God’s faithfulness in your life, the lives of others’ and the promises He has made – and take refuge in Him!