9 Things to Remember When Life Gets Hard – How to Find Hope in Difficult Times

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When life gets hard, these 9 things become crucial anchors that keep us steady in the storm.

Last week, as I sat in my car outside the hospital where my mother was fighting for her life, these reminders became more than just words – they became lifelines of hope.

Through this exploration, we’ll delve into four essential aspects of navigating life’s challenges: maintaining perspective during tough times, finding strength in our connections with others, taking practical steps forward, and discovering opportunities for spiritual and personal growth. Each of these elements plays a vital role in helping us not just survive but potentially thrive through difficult seasons.

Like a lighthouse guiding ships through stormy seas, these nine reminders serve as beacons of hope when life feels overwhelming. Whether you’re facing health issues, relationship struggles, career challenges, or personal loss, these insights, drawn from both personal experience and timeless wisdom, can help light your path forward.

1. This Season Is Temporary

Last winter, as I watched my prized garden wither under a blanket of snow, my elderly neighbor shared a wisdom that’s stuck with me ever since: “Gardens and grief both have seasons.” That insight came flooding back to me months later as I stood in my mother’s hospital room, watching her fight for her life.

Understanding life’s cycles helps us navigate its hardest moments. Just as Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 reminds us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” When we’re in the thick of difficulty, it can feel like our current struggles will last forever. But like seasons, our hardships have their time and then pass.

The power of “yet” becomes crucial during these periods. When my mother was diagnosed, I couldn’t imagine finding joy again. But as one of her nurses wisely told me, “You haven’t found it yet.” This small word holds immense hope, reminding us that our current reality isn’t our final destination. Isaiah 43:19 beautifully captures this truth: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

King David understood this principle deeply. Throughout the Psalms, we see him moving from despair to hope, knowing that difficult seasons would pass. In Psalm 30:5, he writes, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Today, as I tend to my thriving spring garden, I’m reminded that even the harshest winters eventually yield to new growth.

2. You’ve Overcome Before

Six months ago, I found my old high school diary. Flipping through its pages, I couldn’t help but smile at the “end of the world” scenarios that now seem so manageable. That homework assignment that kept me up all night? Those relationship troubles that felt earth-shattering? I survived them all, and you’ve survived every single one of your “impossible” days too.

Your track record for getting through hard times is 100% so far. Let that sink in. Every challenge you’ve faced, every obstacle that seemed insurmountable – you’re here, reading this, having made it through. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Built-in resilience is part of your design. Think about David facing Goliath – he drew strength from remembering his victories over the lion and the bear (1 Samuel 17:37). When he says, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine,” he’s practicing what psychologists now call “recalled resilience.”

Remember the battles you’ve already won. That financial crisis you navigated? The heartbreak you survived? The loss you learned to live with? Each of these experiences has equipped you with wisdom and strength for your current challenge. As Joshua 1:9 encourages us, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

3. You’re Not Alone

The day my world collapsed, I found myself sitting alone in my car outside the hospital, desperately scrolling through my phone contacts, unsure who to call. That’s when a text from my small group leader popped up: “We’re here. You don’t have to carry this alone.” Those words broke the dam of isolation I’d built around myself.

The power of community isn’t just a nice concept – it’s a lifeline. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 puts it perfectly: “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up!” When life gets hard, our instinct might be to withdraw, to handle it alone. But that’s exactly when we need others most.

Shared experiences have a unique way of healing. In our church support group, I’ve witnessed incredible moments where someone shares their struggle, and across the room, another person’s eyes light up with recognition – that “me too” moment that bridges the gap of loneliness. As Paul teaches in Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Available support systems often extend beyond what we imagine. When my mother was sick, help came from unexpected places – neighbors bringing meals, old friends offering childcare, even strangers from our church community stepping up to help. Like the four friends who lowered the paralyzed man through the roof to reach Jesus (Mark 2:1-5), sometimes our community becomes the very means of our healing.

4. Small Steps Still Count

“I can’t even get out of bed today,” my friend Imani whispered through tears during our phone call. After losing her husband, even the simplest tasks felt overwhelming. That’s when I shared with her what my therapist once told me: “You don’t have to climb the mountain today – just put on your shoes.”

Progress over perfection becomes our mantra in difficult seasons. The Bible shows us how God often works through small, seemingly insignificant steps. Think of Naaman, who was asked to take the simple step of dipping seven times in the Jordan River for his healing (2 Kings 5:13-14). Sometimes the smallest acts of obedience lead to the biggest breakthroughs.

Daily tiny victories matter more than we realize. For Imani, success initially meant just getting dressed or eating a proper meal. As Zechariah 4:10 asks, “Who dares despise the day of small things?” When life feels overwhelming, celebrate the small wins: making your bed, taking a shower, sending that one important email. Each small step builds momentum for the next one.

Momentum building is a biblical principle. Just as the kingdom of God grows from a tiny mustard seed into a large tree (Matthew 13:31-32), our healing and recovery often start with the smallest of actions. When my mother was recovering from surgery, her physiotherapist emphasized the importance of small, consistent movements. “Each little stretch,” she’d say, “is building strength for tomorrow.”

5. Your Feelings Are Valid

Last Tuesday, during our men’s Bible study, Mark broke down crying while sharing about his job loss. The room fell silent until our leader said something profound: “Jesus wept too. Your tears are holy ground.”

Emotional honesty is deeply biblical. The Psalms are filled with raw, unfiltered emotions – from David’s deepest despair to his highest praise. Psalm 42:3 captures this authenticity: “My tears have been my food day and night.” When life gets hard, we often feel pressure to “be strong” or “have faith,” as if these somehow exclude feeling hurt, angry, or afraid.

Processing pain is a necessary part of healing. When Jesus faced the cross, He didn’t hide His anguish. In the garden of Gethsemane, He was “deeply troubled and distressed” (Mark 14:33). If the Son of God expressed His emotions honestly, we have permission to do the same. Job’s friends got it right for the first seven days when they simply sat with him in his grief (Job 2:13). Sometimes, acknowledging our pain is the first step toward healing.

The Bible gives us permission to feel deeply. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us there’s “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Your feelings aren’t a sign of weak faith – they’re part of being human, created in God’s image with the capacity for deep emotion.

6. Help Is Available

The text simply read: “I can’t do this alone anymore.” It came from my brother at 2 AM, after months of struggling with depression. That message – six simple words – became his first step toward healing, because it opened the door to accept help.

Professional support isn’t a sign of weakness but of wisdom. Proverbs 15:22 tells us, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Just as we wouldn’t hesitate to see a doctor for a broken bone, seeking help for our emotional and mental well-being is equally important. When my mother was going through chemotherapy, her counselor became as crucial to her healing as her oncologist.

Community resources often go untapped because of pride or shame. But Acts 2:44-45 shows us how the early church created support systems for those in need. Today, these resources might look different – support groups, counseling services, or church assistance programs – but their purpose remains the same: to help carry one another’s burdens.

Asking for assistance takes courage. James 5:14 encourages us: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them.” Notice the responsibility placed on the one who needs help – to reach out. When I finally admitted I needed help with my grief, I discovered an entire network of support I hadn’t known existed. As my pastor often says, “The help you need is often just one honest conversation away.”

7. Growth Lives in Discomfort

While cleaning out my grandmother’s attic last spring, I found a jar of wheat seeds she’d saved from her hardest year of farming – the drought of 1976. “These seeds,” she told me, “survived the worst conditions and produced the strongest crops we ever had.” Her words echoed the profound truth about how difficulty often nurtures our greatest growth.

Lessons in struggle are deeply woven into Scripture. James 1:2-4 encourages us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Like a muscle that grows stronger under resistance, our character often develops most during our hardest seasons.

Character building rarely feels pleasant in the moment. When I lost my job three years ago, it felt like my world was crumbling. Yet that season taught me resilience, humility, and trust in God’s provision in ways that comfort never could. As Romans 5:3-4 reminds us, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Future strength often emerges from present struggles. Joseph’s time in prison prepared him for palace leadership. David’s years as a fugitive shaped him into a compassionate king. Remember what Paul learned about weakness becoming strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)? Sometimes our most significant growth sprouts from our most uncomfortable seasons.

8. Your Story Matters

“I never thought my struggle could help anyone else,” Sarah confessed during our support group, “until that young mom came up to me after church.” Sarah’s journey through grief had become a lighthouse for others navigating similar storms, though she hadn’t realized it at first.

Impact on others often happens when we’re simply being honest about our journey. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul explains that God “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive.” Think about it – every biblical hero’s story includes chapters of struggle that later became sources of hope for others.

Shared wisdom has a unique power to heal. When King David wrote about his failures and victories in the Psalms, he probably didn’t realize his words would comfort millions throughout history. Your current struggle might become someone else’s survival guide. As Peter encourages in 1 Peter 3:15, we should “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Legacy building happens in unexpected ways. I remember my mother saying during her cancer treatment, “If nothing else comes from this, at least I can show my grandchildren what it looks like to trust God in hard times.” Her faithfulness during that season continues to impact our family years later.

9. Hope Always Remains

Standing in the ruins of what was once our family business after the fire, my father did something unexpected – he planted a tree. “This,” he said, “is our reminder that life continues and new things grow, even from ashes.” That simple act taught me more about hope than any sermon ever could.

Finding light in darkness is a deeply biblical principle. Isaiah 43:19 declares, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Even in our darkest valleys, God is at work, creating possibilities we can’t yet see.

Future possibilities often emerge from present pain. Joseph’s powerful testimony in Genesis 50:20 reminds us that what others mean for harm, God can use for good. During my own season of depression, I couldn’t imagine ever feeling joy again. Yet here I am, not just surviving but using that experience to help others find their way through similar darkness.

Hope isn’t just positive thinking – it’s an anchor for the soul (Hebrews 6:19). It’s the confident expectation that God is still working, even when we can’t see how. As Romans 15:13 beautifully states, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” This hope isn’t based on our circumstances but on God’s unchanging character and promises.

Renewed purpose often emerges from our deepest pain. Like a phoenix rising from ashes, our darkest moments can become the birthplace of our most significant calling. Remember, Easter Sunday followed Good Friday. The cross preceded the resurrection. Your story isn’t over yet.

Conclusion:

As I write this, looking at the worn journal that carried me through my darkest days, I’m reminded that life’s hardships, while painful, often carry the seeds of our greatest growth. Each challenge we face adds another thread to the tapestry of our resilience, another layer to our capacity for compassion and understanding. Remember, you’re stronger than you think, more loved than you know, and equipped with everything you need to face whatever lies ahead. These nine reminders aren’t just survival tools – they’re stepping stones to becoming who you’re meant to be.