When Trials Come: Scripture to Keep Your Heart Fixed on God

Trials are a part of life here on earth. We would love to know that as Christians we are exempt. This is what Jesus said about trials.

John 16:33 NIV  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus went through all kinds of trials and persecution while He walked this earth. This is not surprising advice considering everything He went through.

He is giving us encouragement. He overcame the world. Because of His strength to those who love Him, we can overcome it too.

Below are verses we’re going to discuss to help keep your heart fixed on God when you are going through trials.

God Gives Us These Gifts in Trials:

• His Strength: 1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV
• His Presence: Isaiah 41:10 NIV
• His Comfort: Psalm 34:17-18 NIV
• His Grace: 3 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
• His Love: Romans 8:3-5
• His Peace: Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Our Attitude During Trials: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

It Will Get Better: 1 Peter 5:10 NIV

Conclusion: Trials Build Spiritual Growth: Romans 5:3-5 NIV/John 1:2-4 NIV

God Gives Us These Gifts in Trials

His Strength:

1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

As you go to God in prayer, burdened with trials that are overwhelming, remember how powerful our God is. Look at the lives of other Christians recorded in God’s Word.

How did they get their strength to get through their trials? They cried out to God and He supplied the strength they needed at that moment.

You can do that just as they did. They were regular people endowed by the same strength you can have. God is not a respecter of persons. Just ask for it. Try to do this as soon as the trial begins.

The more you rely on God daily, the sooner this will become automatic to reach for His strength.

His Presence:

Isaiah 41:10 NIV “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“

Because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, God is always with us.

He tells us not to fear or be overwhelmed, He is God and will give you what you need.

In the moment of crisis, try to think about God first so you can get relief immediately. It doesn’t remove the trial, but it gives you peace to handle it.

His Comfort:

Psalm 34:17-18 NIV “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

The righteous are not perfect people but those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. God sees Christ’s righteousness in our place.

The Lord hears and delivers us. He understands our broken hearts and saves us with His comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Our God is full of compassion, in fact, He’s the creator of it. He is ready in any circumstance to comfort us. We are not to leave it at that. Through our experience in His comfort, we then can comfort others.

His Grace:

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Paul was no stranger to suffering. This was in response to his prayer to Jesus to take away the “thorn in the flesh”. (It is not known what this is). Jesus reply was that His grace was enough, His power is made perfect in weakness.

If weaknesses brought on the power of Christ, he would be glad to boast about them. This power would strengthen him in whatever he needed.

You can have Christ’s power too as a believer. His strength will enable you to carry on through the trial and have peace with it.

His Love:

Romans 8:35 NIV “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

In the midst of your pain, you might feel like God doesn’t love you anymore. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

This verse tells us that there is nothing that will separate you from God’s love, not even trouble. Be careful in your pain to quickly go to the Lord. Tell Him you feel unloved and for Him to remind you of just how much He loves you. He will do it.

God’s purpose is to give you what you need. He is interested in you and wants the best for you.

Romans 8:28 NIV “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

His Peace:

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Anxiety is hard on us in every way. In trials, it is magnified by the pain. Taking the anxiety away helps lessen the pain. This is such a wonderful verse to remember when anxiety strikes.

He says, “Do not be anxious about anything”. So what do you do? Tells you right here.

• Go to the Lord in prayer
• Open with praise and thanksgiving (for past help from Him)
• Make your requests.

Simple prayer:

Our Wonderful Father,

My heart is so heavy with grief but I want to thank you for past answered prayers and blessings you have given me. Please clear my mind and comfort my heart. It’s breaking and so hard to feel joy. Please give me your strength to get through this.

In Jesus Name, Amen

What happens? A peace that is like no other will guard your heart and mind.

Our Attitude During Trials:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

This is one of the final instructions that Paul gives to the Thessalonians. It sounds hard.

This is for us as well.

• Rejoice always.
• Pray continually.
• Give thanks in all circumstances.

What? Rejoice always? I’m depressed and in grief, how can I do this?

Going to the Lord and asking for His strength. This is His will. Why? So you can get through the bad times without getting stuck in them. God wants you to have a victory and be able to be comforted.

It Will Get Better:

1 Peter 5:10 NIV “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Peter is talking to Christians in what is known today as Turkey. The church is undergoing persecution and Peter is giving instruction on how they are to live.

He tells that the “God of Grace” will restore them and us after we have suffered a little while. You will become stronger and steadfast in your faith as a result. It will get better.

Conclusion: Trials Build Spiritual Growth:

Romans 5:3-5 NIV “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

There is an added gift in suffering, spiritual growth. This verse tells us how:

• suffering produces perseverance
• perseverance produces character
• character produces hope

In Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, it says about hope here, “Paul then makes it plain that this hope is not just a pious wish, for it does not put one to shame. It does not disappoint, because it is coupled with the love of God (v.5).

Jesus encouraged us in John 16:33 that because He overcame the world, we can too. In these verses we have discuss, we see how overcoming in difficult circumstances takes place.

If you are going through a trial right. Take heart, God is ready to help you get through it. Go to Him in prayer and ask for His help. He will!

If you have questions, feel free to comment. I will be happy to help.