God In Hard Times

Life's hard. There's no getting around the fact. Sometimes we have good days, but sooner or later difficulties, problems, and hardship arise. Having a place where you can rest from the storm is essential to surviving it.

God offers us such a place in Him. In the Bible, He's referred to as a stronghold, refuge, shield.

When we run to Him, we are safe. “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7, NASB.)

The key is, if we run to Him. Sometimes we want to weather the storms ourselves. God only comes into the equation as a genie in a bottle. “Take this away!” we beg. “Make this situation disappear.” That's a natural response to unwanted circumstances; there's nothing wrong with wishing everything would be perfect all the time. After all, that's how this world was designed to be. But since it is in the world, we no longer have the opportunity to enjoy a perfect life.

However, that doesn't mean we have to go through difficult times without help. God offers a place for us to rest – His presence. We can seek Him and find peace, guidance, and love. Nothing and nobody can harm us when we're sheltered by God. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, NASB.) And when we emerge from His presence, we're strengthened and ready to face what life is throwing at us.