Introduction: The Struggle to Trust God in Hard Times
Suffering is an unavoidable part of life. Whether it’s a financial crisis, a health battle, a broken relationship, or the loss of a loved one, hard times come for us all. And when they do, they often shake our faith. We may find ourselves asking, Where is God? Why is He allowing this? Learning how to trust God in times of suffering isn’t easy, but it is essential if we want to walk through life’s storms with peace instead of despair.
The Bible never promises a life free from trials, but it does promise that God will be with us in them. Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The key to enduring difficult times is not found in escaping them, but in trusting the One who walks through them with us.
So how do we do that? How do we trust God when everything around us feels like it’s falling apart? These seven unchanging truths will help us stand firm, even in the darkest seasons.
1. God’s Presence is Our Comfort in Suffering
When life falls apart, it’s natural to wonder, Where is God? We know in our heads that He’s always with us, but when we’re in the middle of hard times, it sure doesn’t feel that way. Learning how to trust God in times of suffering isn’t about pretending everything’s fine—it’s about clinging to the truth that He never leaves us, even when our circumstances try to convince us otherwise.
Psalm 23:4 reminds us, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Notice that David doesn’t say God takes him around the valley—he walks through it. That’s the reality of life in a broken world. But what makes all the difference is this: we don’t walk through it alone.
When suffering hits, we have two choices. We can pull away in fear, or we can press into God, even when we don’t understand what He’s doing. And here’s the thing—He’s not waiting for us to get it all together before He shows up. He’s already here. Prayer and worship aren’t just things we should do; they’re the very things that help us sense His presence. They remind us of what’s true when everything else feels unstable.
If you’re struggling to feel God right now, you’re not alone. But don’t let your emotions be the final word. Keep seeking Him, keep crying out to Him, and trust that even in the silence, He is holding you..
2. God’s Character Never Changes
One of the hardest things about suffering is how quickly life can turn upside down. One moment, everything feels stable; the next, we’re blindsided by a phone call, a diagnosis, or a situation we never saw coming. When life feels uncertain, it’s easy to wonder if God has changed, too. But here’s the truth: God’s character doesn’t shift with our circumstances.
Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” That means no matter what we’re going through, He is still good, still sovereign, still merciful, and still in control. Even when we don’t understand His ways—and let’s be honest, sometimes we don’t—He is always faithful.
But here’s the challenge: even though we know God doesn’t change, our emotions don’t always get the memo. We live in a fallen world, in fallen bodies, with minds and hearts that aren’t always in sync with the truth. That’s why the Bible tells us to set our minds on what is true (Colossians 3:2). Trusting God in suffering isn’t just about knowing He’s unchanging—it’s about reminding ourselves of that truth when everything in us feels the opposite.
So when life shakes you, anchor yourself in the one thing that never moves—God’s character. Your emotions may rise and fall, but His love, justice, and wisdom remain steady. You can trust Him, even when everything else feels uncertain.
3. God’s Word is a Rock in Difficult Times
Even though we know God doesn’t change, let’s be honest—our emotions don’t always get the message. We can read about His faithfulness, even believe it deep down, but when suffering comes, fear and doubt have a way of creeping in. That’s because, while we’ve trusted in Christ and have the Holy Spirit within us, we still live in fallen bodies with minds and emotions that don’t always align with truth. That’s why Scripture constantly reminds us to set our minds on what is true (Colossians 3:2, Romans 12:2). If we let our feelings dictate our faith, we’ll be tossed around by every storm. But if we anchor ourselves in something unshakable—the Word of God—we’ll stand firm no matter what comes our way.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Think about that. When we’re walking through difficult times, we don’t have to stumble around in the dark, trying to figure things out on our own. God has already given us the light we need—His Word. The Bible reveals God’s character, His promises, and His faithfulness. It reminds us that He is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28), even when we can’t see how.
But here’s the thing—trusting God in suffering takes more than just knowing Scripture. We have to set our minds on it, over and over again. When fear and doubt start whispering lies, we need to return to the truth and let it reshape our thinking. Over time, as we meditate on God’s promises, our emotions will begin to follow. We may not always feel at peace, but we’ll have something even better—an unshakable foundation that holds us steady, no matter how hard life gets.
4. God’s Promises Stand Firm
When we’re in the middle of suffering, it’s easy to feel like everything is unraveling. Pain can make us question what we thought we knew—Is God really in control? Does He see what I’m going through? But here’s the truth: God’s promises are not shaken by our circumstances. No matter what we face, His Word stands firm.
One of the most powerful promises in Scripture is Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” That means, even in our hardest moments, we are not alone. God is present, even when we can’t feel Him, and He will never abandon us.
Romans 8:28 gives us another assurance: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” This doesn’t mean that everything feels good or that we’ll always understand what God is doing. But it does mean that our suffering is not meaningless. God is at work, even in the mess, weaving every piece of our story into something beautiful.
The challenge for us is this: Will we trust His promises even when we don’t see immediate answers? Holding onto God’s Word in suffering is like gripping an anchor in a storm. The waves may crash, the wind may howl, but His promises will not fail. He is faithful, and that truth remains, no matter how shaky life feels.
5. Jesus Christ Understands Our Pain
One of the hardest parts of suffering is feeling like no one truly understands what we’re going through. People can offer kind words, but sometimes their comfort falls short. But here’s the good news—Jesus Christ knows exactly what suffering feels like. If anyone understands how to trust God in times of suffering, it’s Him.
Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus isn’t distant from our pain—He entered into it. He felt hunger, exhaustion, grief, betrayal, and even the sting of rejection from those He loved. On the cross, He endured unimaginable suffering—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—so that we would never have to suffer alone.
When we’re hurting, we don’t have to wonder if God understands. He does. Jesus has walked this road, and He walks it with us now. Trusting God in suffering doesn’t mean pretending we’re okay; it means bringing our pain to the One who truly gets it. And because Jesus endured suffering and overcame it, we can trust that, through Him, we will, too.
6. God’s Faithfulness is Proven Over Time
When we’re in the middle of suffering, it’s easy to lose perspective. Pain has a way of making us forget everything we know to be true. But one of the best ways to learn how to trust God in times of suffering is to look back and remember how faithful He has already been.
All throughout Scripture, we see stories of God sustaining His people through difficult times. Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers, thrown into prison, and forgotten—yet in the end, he could say, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Job lost everything—his health, his family, his wealth—but God restored him and used his suffering to deepen his faith. Paul endured beatings, shipwrecks, and imprisonment, yet he wrote, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12).
If God was faithful then, He will be faithful now. And if we take a moment to look back on our own lives, we’ll see it, too. Maybe He provided when we didn’t know how we’d make it. Maybe He gave us peace when everything was falling apart. Whatever the case, remembering His past faithfulness gives us confidence to keep trusting Him in the present.
The truth is, our suffering won’t last forever—but God’s faithfulness will. No matter how hard things feel right now, we can trust that He is still at work, still sustaining us, and still writing a story bigger than we can see.
7. God’s Sovereignty Means He is in Control
When life feels out of control, it’s easy to wonder if God is really paying attention. Pain can make us feel like we’ve been thrown into chaos with no plan or purpose. But one of the most important things we must remember about how to trust God in times of suffering is this: God is sovereign, and He is still in control.
The sovereignty of God means that nothing happens outside of His knowledge and purpose. Even when we don’t understand what He’s doing, we can trust that He does. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
That doesn’t mean suffering will always make sense to us. There will be seasons when we can’t see how God is working or why He’s allowing certain struggles. But trusting Him doesn’t require us to see the whole picture—it requires us to believe that He does. His ways are higher, His wisdom is greater, and His love for us is never in question.
So even in difficult circumstances, we can take comfort in knowing that our suffering is not random. God has a purpose in every trial, and He is using even the hardest moments of our lives to accomplish something far greater than we can imagine.
Conclusion: Holding On to Truth When Suffering Feels Overwhelming
If you’re walking through suffering right now, I want you to hear this: you are not alone. I know it might feel like God is distant, like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, and like you’re barely holding it together. But the truth is, no matter how you feel, God has not abandoned you. In fact, learning how to trust God in times of suffering starts with clinging to what He has already told us in His Word—even when our emotions try to tell us otherwise.
So what does that look like practically? It means we have to set our minds on the truth and not let our circumstances define what we believe about God. When fear creeps in, we go to His promises. When doubt tries to take over, we remind ourselves of His faithfulness. When suffering feels like too much, we rest in the fact that Jesus understands and walks with us through it.
Here are some simple but powerful ways to apply these truths in your hardest moments:
- Speak God’s Word out loud. When your thoughts are spiraling, declare the truth of Scripture. Say Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Let those words drown out fear.
- Pray honestly. You don’t have to come to God with perfect words. Tell Him exactly how you feel, just like David did in the Psalms. He already knows, and He is listening.
- Worship, even when it’s hard. Sometimes, worship is an act of faith—it reminds our hearts of what’s true, even when we don’t feel it. Play worship music. Sing through tears. Let truth wash over you.
- Write down how God has been faithful in the past. When suffering clouds your perspective, look back at how He has provided, sustained, and carried you before. If He was faithful then, He will be faithful now.
- Surround yourself with truth. Read the Bible, listen to sermons, and talk to fellow believers who will point you back to Jesus. Don’t suffer in silence—let the body of Christ encourage you.
I won’t pretend that trusting God in suffering is easy. Some days, it’s a battle just to get out of bed, let alone open your Bible. But how to trust God in times of suffering isn’t about having perfect faith—it’s about holding onto Him, even when you don’t understand. It’s about refusing to believe the lie that He has left you, even when everything in you wants to give up.
The pain you’re walking through right now isn’t the end of your story. God is still at work. His presence is still with you. His promises are still true. And no matter how dark it feels today, He is leading you toward a future where suffering will be no more. Until that day, hold fast to Him—because He is holding fast to you.
Conclusion: Holding On to Truth When Suffering Feels Overwhelming
If you’re walking through suffering right now, I want you to hear this: you are not alone. I know it might feel like God is distant, like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, and like you’re barely holding it together. But the truth is, no matter how you feel, God has not abandoned you. In fact, learning how to trust God in times of suffering starts with clinging to what He has already told us in His Word—even when our emotions try to tell us otherwise.
So what does that look like practically? It means we have to set our minds on the truth and not let our circumstances define what we believe about God. When fear creeps in, we go to His promises. When doubt tries to take over, we remind ourselves of His faithfulness. When suffering feels like too much, we rest in the fact that Jesus understands and walks with us through it.
Here are some simple but powerful ways to apply these truths in your hardest moments:
- Speak God’s Word out loud. When your thoughts are spiraling, declare the truth of Scripture. Say Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Let those words drown out fear.
- Pray honestly. You don’t have to come to God with perfect words. Tell Him exactly how you feel, just like David did in the Psalms. He already knows, and He is listening.
- Worship, even when it’s hard. Sometimes, worship is an act of faith—it reminds our hearts of what’s true, even when we don’t feel it. Play worship music. Sing through tears. Let truth wash over you.
- Write down how God has been faithful in the past. When suffering clouds your perspective, look back at how He has provided, sustained, and carried you before. If He was faithful then, He will be faithful now.
- Surround yourself with truth. Read the Bible, listen to sermons, and talk to fellow believers who will point you back to Jesus. Don’t suffer in silence—let the body of Christ encourage you.
I won’t pretend that trusting God in suffering is easy. Some days, it’s a battle just to get out of bed, let alone open your Bible. But how to trust God in times of suffering isn’t about having perfect faith—it’s about holding onto Him, even when you don’t understand. It’s about refusing to believe the lie that He has left you, even when everything in you wants to give up.
The pain you’re walking through right now isn’t the end of your story. God is still at work. His presence is still with you. His promises are still true. No matter how dark it feels today, He is leading you toward a future where suffering will be no more. Until that day, hold fast to Him—because He is holding fast to you. And when you wonder how to trust God in times of suffering, remember this: it’s not about how strong your grip is on Him, but about how strong His grip is on you.
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