6 Truths to Remember in Bad Times

For the last 3.5 weeks, our pastor had been in the hospital in critical condition, battling several life-threatening conditions. Yesterday, as his family said, he passed from death to life.

He is no longer with us. We do not mourn as those who have no hope. Brother Mike has finished his race and entered into his reward. But for those of us left behind, this is a hard time. His family mourns the loss of a husband, son, father, and grandfather. Countless other friends and family members mourn the loss of a wonderful man. Our church congregation mourns the loss of the best preacher I have ever known.

I have cried and read my Bible, and cried, and prayed, and cried some more.

But through it all I am so thankful that our hope does not rest on anything in this pain-filled, uncertain world. And I wanted to share some of the things that the Lord has used to comfort me.

This world is not our home.

This pain-filled and uncertain world is not the one that I was created for. As C.S. Lewis so aptly stated, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” We have a beautiful, wonderful home where there will be no pain, death, or suffering (Rev. 21:3-4)

As Christians, we have something better waiting for us! Praise the Lord! Here is a video put together by a ministry partner, with some clips for brother Mike talking about that hope:

God is good.

There are many verses throughout scripture that remind us of this fact. Psalm 100:5 is one of them. Sometimes we Christians distort this truth. We say “God is good” because we got our preferred outcome in a situation:

  • God healed me. He is good.
  • I got that job I wanted. God is good.
  • We bought a house. God is good.

And it’s good to praise God when He moves in our situations. But, the truth is, the circumstances don’t matter. God is good. When our situations aren’t good, He still is. Always.

God is Sovereign.

It’s so sweet to trust Him, and rest in His sovereignty. Sometimes we want things to work out a certain way. And we stress, and we worry. But there is such freedom in trusting that God is sovereign. No matter how bad things look, no matter how upside down things look. He is in complete control.

I am redeemed

Praise the Lord! I love the song, “It is well with my soul.” It’s such a great reminder to me in tough times. No matter what else happens in my life, God saved me. I have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, and it is well with my soul. I hope and pray this is true for you as well. If not, I pray that you would seek Him heartily.

I am loved.

God’s word says that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). When we keep our eyes focused on Him, the burdens of this life are much easier to get through. If we can just remember the sacrifice, remember the promise, that can overshadow any pain in this life.

His ways are not our ways.

There are things in this life that I don’t understand. Things that don’t make sense to me. But that is to be expected. We serve a big God. His ways are not our ways, and I am so thankful for that fact! If God were so easily understood by our small minds, He wouldn’t be the awesome creator that He is! He is all knowing, all seeing, omnipresent, sovereign. He knows better than we do! (Isaiah 55:8).

All things work together for good.

God’s word tells us that all things work together for God for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Sometimes this “good” might be physical/temporal-often times bad situations and closed doors lead to better things. Sometimes the “good” might be spiritual. The Bible tells us that hardships draw us closer to the Lord. They lead us into the person He is creating us to be. And sometimes we won’t know about it until we reach glory! But that’s okay. We walk in faith. And we trust that the Lord is working ALL things for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)

His grace is sufficient.

No matter what the situation, His grace is sufficient. Yes, he allows hardships to come into our lives, but He also gives us the strength we need to face them. He will comfort us. He will give us peace. He is everything we need to get through the trials in this life. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

He will never leave me nor forsake me.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Bad things happen. But the Lord never leaves you to face them alone. He is always there. (Hebrews 13:5)

We can have peace.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” The peace Jesus gives us is an abiding peace. One that transcends all circumstances or situations. Jesus comforted His disciples with these words when he was preparing them for the worst of trials. Yes, you can have peace in the midst of terrible situations. Peace that passes understanding

Continue reading here: Book Review: All In By Mark Batterson

Was this article helpful?

0 0