hard times, long days
hold on just a little bit longer
You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
Hold on just a little bit longer
I know it's gonna be okay
These days are gonna make you stronger
You'll find purpose in the pain
Hold on just a little bit longer
Deep down there's a well of faith
Let hope arise as you're lifting up My name
And just hold on
Just hold on, hold on
Your promise
It still stands
It's chasing after me
The rainbow
Through storm clouds
Is how I'm gonna see
That there is a light
That's waiting up ahead
So I'll stay in the fight
And look to the One who said
Are you struggling to stay afloat after your divorce? How will you make it through one more day with all the challenges you're facing as a single woman? Do you feel hopeless when you think about rebuilding your future?
Rising costs of living, single-income budgets, childcare expenses, medical bills, and navigating life changes alone can feel overwhelming. After divorce, many women wonder how to find anything to hold onto in days like these. How do we rediscover hope?
To have hope, we must have a foundation upon which that hope is built. We must believe in something greater than ourselves, and we must trust in something or someone we wholeheartedly believe will not waffle but stand firm and steady. It must be someone we believe sees us, knows our hurts, our brokenness, our struggles, someone who cares about them.
They must be someone who is strong enough to carry us through the storms, who is a beacon of hope when the waves of life are crashing down, and who can be a foundation that will not crumble around us when the earth shakes beneath us.
That someone is not anyone in this world. That someone is God.
photo by Miriam G @mimg
Trusting God Through Life's Uncertainties
Nothing about this life is predictable. We all experience ups and downs along the way. It's easy to trust God when all is well, things are going smoothly, and life is good. But, as difficult as it is, when times are challenging, that is when it's even more important to put our trust in Him.
Why? Because everything in this world is subject to change and is unsteady, but God, His character, and His promises are unchanging. His steadiness is the solid foundation we need when everything else around us seems to be shifting sand and uncertain.
Practical Steps to Trust God After Divorce
Here are some suggestions for learning to trust God in your everyday life, keeping in mind that the hope we need and desire is based on a foundation of trust:
1. Read the Word. God's word is how we get to know Him. It's how we learn how God has responded throughout history to those who cried out to Him in times of need. It's how our trust is established in Him, and it is proof of His trustworthiness.
2. Be honest. Confess your lack of belief and trust. It's difficult to believe sometimes, especially during tough times. He can handle it. Ask God to help you believe what He says is true.
3. Ask others to pray with and for you. Community matters. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to look to God and seek His truth.
4. Spend time with God regularly, not just when life is tough. Knowing of His faithfulness and spending good times with Him helps build trust.
5. Practice gratitude. Whether good or bad times, there is always something to find that you can be grateful for. Being thankful helps combat the lies that life is terrible and not worth fighting for.
6. God's timing is perfect. Wait on Him. Sometimes we need to wait. Be faithful in seeking the Lord, but wait for His timing.
“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Trusting God means we believe He is reliable, His word is true, and He has the ability and strength to do what He promises. Scripture tells us that God cannot lie, that His word is true, and He always keeps His promises concerning us. He gives purpose to our pain. He turns mourning into dancing and brings beauty from ashes. He even chases after us when we stray.
photo by wisconsinpictures @wisconsinpictures
Trusting God means we believe He is reliable, His word is true, and He has the ability and strength to do what He promises. Scripture tells us that God cannot lie; His word is accurate, and He always keeps His promises concerning us.
He gives purpose to our pain. He turns mourning into dancing and brings beauty from ashes.
God loves you and has good in store for you. This doesn't mean He removes all obstacles, but what He does promise is that He will walk through the fires with us. He knows our sorrows and catches our tears. He sees you.
Trust is a Choice, not a Feeling.
Important reminder: Trusting God isn't a "feeling." We must choose to trust and have faith, especially when our feelings and circumstances seem to contradict our beliefs. Feelings and circumstances matter, and God cares about them, but those things alone are not reliable.
“Don't follow your heart, feelings and passions fluctuate and will cause you to become confused and stumble. Instead follow Jesus, who is constant and true, he will never cause you to stumble but instead will lead you to everlasting life.” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Finding Peace in the Storm
When we choose to trust God as an act of obedience and stand on His foundation in our trials, God will give us the hope and peace we need as we walk down the difficult roads. If we trust someone, we are vulnerable with them.
Tell God your feelings, your circumstances, your hurts, your anger. He can handle it!
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17-20)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
When you trust God, He becomes your primary point of contact during times of hardship. You trust He will provide, and you obey in the interim. You don't look for promises and security in other things. You count on God to get you through the challenges.
Jesus knows this life is hard. He was human. He asked His Father to spare Him from what He knew was coming, His torture and death, but He remained obedient in spite of the hardship and pain. He is our ultimate example of holding on, trusting in the hard times, having hope, and being the light in the darkness.
Portions paraphrased and referenced from, How to Trust God, Even in Difficult Times, Brittany Yesudasan
