Faith In Times Of Despair

by Tara Pray

The ups and downs of life are perfect opportunities to show our faith in the Lord. Faith is knowing for sure what is not seen. Having faith in God during times of despair is knowing and believing in his Almighty power.

Times of despair can manifest through many ways. It can be job loss, sickness, financial crisis, death of a loved one or the ending of a relationship. It is during times like these that can often leave us fearful of what may or may not happen next. When it seems as if our world is crumbling down, it is easy to lose sight of the Lord and put our own will ahead of the will of God. It is in these moments we must not let fear take hold. We must trust in God and the process we are going through, even when we don’t understand why.

In the Bible there are several illustrations of dynamic people who exhibited their faith in the Lord by remaining obedient, patient and trusting. These servants of God kept their faith despite not knowing what God’s plan was for them. Hebrews Chapter 11 identifies several of these individuals, including Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. Faith is about being able to go through the “storms of life” knowing everything will be all right, “The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid.” (Psalms 118:5-6)

During our times of hardship, it is easy to give in to the devil and his unrelenting ways. He wants us to turn our backs on the Lord and give up. We, as Christians, must not give into the devil, but instead give the praises up to God. Be mindful and thankful for what we already have. It’s easy to succumb to the “why me blues.” But instead praise him through prayer. Praise him through song. Praise him for what he has done and will do. And yes, give thanks to him for the troubles in your life.

An important life lesson to learn during the hard times is knowing everything happens for a reason. Whatever cross you must bear, wherever you are right now in your life is where you are suppose to be, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

God knows our joys and our sorrows. We must be patient and wait on the Lord to remove whatever obstacle is in our path. Believe in God, his love, his power and know as long as we are faithful to him, he will never leave our side.

Five things to do during times of despair:

1. Pray
2. Remain faithful
3. Remain obedient
4. Give thanks for everything in your life
5. Be with others who are of strong Christian faith.