Where do you turn in your hardest moments?

Maybe it’s a life-changing diagnosis or sudden car accident. Or maybe it’s been a divorce you’ve been dreading for many years, or the death of a close friend after a long illness.

When our hearts are burdened by sorrow, we can feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or even hopeless. In these times, we need to be reminded of God’s love and care for us.

Whether you’re walking through the hardest moments of your life or want to remind someone else of God’s love, we invite you to meditate on these four reminders from God’s Word today!

God is with you.

In times of heartbreak or despair, we might be tempted to believe that God is far away from our suffering. It often feels that way. But God promises throughout his Word that this is not the case. Scripture tells us that God is close to everyone who is discouraged or hopeless (Psalm 34:18). In fact, God showed his love for us by sending his own Son, Jesus Christ, to live among us and make a way for our salvation (John 1:14). One of Jesus’s names, given in a prophesy hundreds of years before his birth, reminds us of this truth: Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:22–23).

“Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the LORD your God, am with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 GNT

God cares for you.

Being close to a God who doesn’t actually care about you wouldn’t be much comfort. But the Bible paints a different picture. God is with us—and he cares for us. Several biblical writers marvel at this (Psalm 8, Psalm 107). Jesus taught his followers this truth (Matthew 6:25–34). When you believe God will provide for you in every circumstance, you can learn to rejoice in every circumstance—just like the apostle Paul (Philippians 4:11–13)—and rest in God’s care for you.

“Do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds?”

Matthew 6:25–26 GNT

God will strengthen you and protect you.

In difficult times, our loved ones often gather around us. But there are limits to human comfort. Our loved ones can’t take our pain away. They can’t give us extra strength or extra hope. And they can’t heal our hearts. But God is all-powerful. His love goes far beyond human limitations. And he offers ultimate healing from grief and suffering (Psalm 147:3). Through his Word, God reminds us of his promises and gives us hope (Romans 15:4). And through the Holy Spirit, God draws near to our hearts, gives us comfort, and communicates our needs when we can’t find the words to pray (Romans 8:26–28).

“Do not be afraid—I am with you!
I am your God—let nothing terrify you!
I will make you strong and help you;
I will protect you and save you.”

Isaiah 41:10 GNT

God will give you a reason to rejoice.

When we are walking through times of sorrow, it can seem like we will never feel joy again. God’s Word does not promise that we will not suffer in this life. But it does give us a hope that we can’t find anywhere else. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we receive all the riches of God’s love and his promise of eternal life. Scripture tells us that nothing can ever separate us from this love through Christ (Romans 8:31–39). When we lose loved ones who trust in Jesus, we can grieve with hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14). And we can look forward to the vision of our future with God, when death and sorrow will be no more (Revelation 21:1–4). With all these promises, we can find reasons to rejoice even in our hardest moments, knowing that God is faithful!

When the LORD brought us back to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
How we laughed, how we sang for joy!
Then the other nations said about us,
“The LORD did great things for them.”
Indeed he did great things for us;
how happy we were!

Psalm 126:1–3 GNT


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