We all know some days we simply can’t get out of bed in the morning. Some days hurt so much that it’s hard to move due to all the pain we experience. Some days can be hard like that. When the medical bills are mounting, the extra expenses seem too much to bear.
Some days, it’s simply easier to feel overwhelmed, depressed, and hopeless through and through. God’s Word is packed full of promises we can cling to, no matter the current circumstances we might find ourselves in, and our needs. It’s much easier to listen to the voice of the enemy, who constantly whispers that there will never be a moment when we don’t feel pain.
However, listening to the enemy always leads us to more despair, as well as extreme fear for the future. When we need more encouragement, whether we’re facing a financial, medical, or emotional test, there’s one thing we know for sure: that God promises to provide for His people.
God’s Word is always filled with promises we can cling to, no matter what our needs or circumstances might be in the moment.
He takes care of our physical needs
God promises to offer what we need (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:31-32). He made the universe and gave food to every living thing, including you and me. The same God who gave us nourishment will not allow us to go without his help (Psalm 145:15-16, Luke 12:24-26).
Not only does the Bible promise us this, but we also see examples of it in the Scripture. When Jesus was preaching and the crowd of people hadn’t eaten, He multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish, feeding more than 5,000 people (Mark 6:1-14).
When Adam and Eve sinned, their eyes were opened to their nakedness, and God provided clothes for them (Genesis 9:3). Even if we make mistakes, God still provides.
He gives us time to rest
God promises His people enough rest (Matthew 11:29-30, Psalm 23:2). We experience this rest by placing our trust in Him. Rest comes from giving up control of our lives, as well as following Jesus wherever His path may lead. Just think about going on a long car trip.
How different is this experience when you are the passenger, instead of simply the driver? The passenger gets to rest, while the driver does not. God not only promises rest, but He actually commands it (Exodus 20:8-11). How comforting is it that our God not only offers us rest, but He expects it from us?
He provides direction
God offers us the grace required to get through any kind of situation (2 Corinthians 9:8). God’s grace, his undeserved favor, is also what allows us to forgive someone who does wrong to us, and put our spouses first, serve our families, and most importantly, to forgive ourselves. Sometimes, the only thing it takes is to find enough strength to get through the day. God’s grace can’t be earned. It’s a gift He gives us based on our needs.
He shows us how to escape temptation
God always gives us a way out, especially when we face temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). The same way Jesus combated Satan’s temptation in the desert, God promises to offer us a way to defeat temptation that comes our way.
He knows very well we will face temptation, and He gives us the needed resources to overcome those trials, including His Word and His Spirit. When we are prepared, God promises we will always be capable of escaping the temptations Satan puts in our path.
He helps us when we’re in pain
God promises to help us when we’re hurting (Psalm 34:17-20). When life gets hard, when the pain feels too much to bear, don’t hide from God. Run TO Him. He is our refuge and strength, our ever-present help in times of need (Psalm 46:1).
He saves us
God offers us a way to be in a close relationship with Him (John 14:6). Once Adam and Eve sinned, we were forever separated from God. But he sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin (John 3:16). Jesus paid the debt we could never work off. When we believe in Him, we’re able to experience a personal relationship with God, and we are no longer separated due to our sin (Romans 10:9).
He gives us peace
God provides for us, by giving us the ability to find peace in any situation (Philippians 4:7, Romans 5:1). He also guards our hearts and minds, leading us into paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). He gives us the needed confidence when we’re not sure of something, and satisfies our longing souls (Philippians 1:6, Psalm 107:9).
He points us to the truth
In this day and age, it can feel as if you cannot trust anyone anymore. Lies and lies of commission are now part of everyday life. However, God gives us a way to really know the truth. He gave us His Word.
The Bible is basically where we turn when we want to know what’s true and what’s not, what’s of God and what’s not (2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:105). God promises us to give us the needed encouragement to meet our every need.
No matter the trial or test, we can know for sure that God has already provided for us both spiritually and physically. We can also rest assured that when we go through tough times, God is walking with us, providing for us all along the way.
Get comfortable with not knowing
Well, from personal experience, I had to learn that putting my trust in God implies living with unanswered questions. That was quite a hard lesson, especially if you’re a person who’s naturally obsessed with understanding everything and knowing what’s going on to feel in control.
It is human nature to try and figure things out. So it goes without saying that when we are in the middle of a situation, we can rapidly find ourselves trying to reason our way through it. As a general rule, we want to have an answer to the all-encompassing question “Why, God, why?” or “When, God, when?” We want to know right now how everything will eventually work out.
But when we trust God, we have to get comfortable with not knowing every little thing, not knowing how God is going to accomplish what needs to be done, and also not knowing when He will do it.
Instead, God wants to show us the way, which means He sometimes leads us in ways that don’t really make sense to us. If we try to figure everything out, we might experience struggle and confusion. But there is a better way.
Completely lean on Him. Believe he wants what’s best for you. Yes, it’s easier said than done, especially when “life” happens, when we can’t really see how everything will work out, and we’re tempted to take matters into our own hands.
Entering God’s rest
Well, saying we trust Him is one thing, but when we really trust and lean on Him, we enter His rest. It’s a specific kind of rest that you can experience in the middle of difficult circumstances. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t even have to have all the answers, but you are trusting God to take care of you.
Most of us spend our entire lives trying to take care of ourselves, but we need to learn to trust our lives to His care. When we try to do everything by ourselves and leave God out, we only get worn out and frustrated. However, when we completely lean on God, it brings us peace. When we stop trying to figure everything out, God can be God in our endeavors.
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