I'm just an ordinary girl following an extraordinary God, learning to seek God's possible in this world of impossible. If David had killed Saul in those moments, he would have ended his difficult life on the run. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. According to 1 Kings 3:9, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he desired. She took a bold risk to believe in Jesus and his power. Someone from the Bible who faced similar difficulties is Paul, who lost his freedom and was imprisoned multiple times throughout his ministry. Terms of Service Ill be able to experience the joy of the Lord in the midst of lifes storms and challenges. Its been 30 days since the king last summoned me! Why so disturbed within me? [11] O LORD, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. David writes in Psalm 142:4b-7, no one cares for my soul. Have you quit believing God hears you and wants to bless you? Praising the Lord entails giving Him all of the adoration and approval He is due. King David is another member of royalty from the Bible who faced troubled periods. But instead of getting better, her condition worsened. Whose life are you meant to impact in the midst of difficulty? When we go through hard times, it can be easy to feel alone. 5-6, 11. [15] At Baraks advance, the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Psalm 149:6, NIV May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, Psalm 59:16-17, ESV I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. Wish you could take to heart these Bible verses about praising God in the storm? Have you ever been in a position where you had the opportunity or responsibility to act, but were too afraid? Job had lost his children, his land, and most of his possessions yet he worshipped God. Praying God's Promises: The Why and How Behind the Practice. 7 Bible Characters Who Heard God's Voice And Were Loyal To Him In the bible, we can find 7 biblical characters who had a close relationship with God, listened to his voice, and followed his commands. To see difficulty the way God does, we need Bible verses for hard times that we can hold on to. We can learn a thing or two from that kind of attitude. He gave thanks as he was surrounded by thousands of hungry people and multiplied the food. However, I noticed that if I participated in teasing others with them, they would befriend me. The jailer then took Paul to his home to wash his wounds. Throughout the biblical story, God is portrayed as being faithful. I get stuck wanting my own way that I miss what God is doing and the doors He is opening. 14 Dressed only It doesnt take away the pain or difficulty of what were going through, but it can help us both see and be light in the midst of darkness. And along with that, she courageously led her people into battle. They had the desire to stay righteous while they waited for their longings to be fulfilled. Below are 20 verses of praise to help you get started. How would that change your view of God? He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). She stepped out of the shadows, made her way through the crowd and told the whole truth so she could get closer to Jesus. According to John 21:15-25, the good news in all of this is that Peter was restored by Jesus, who is gracious. Because your love is better than life,my lips will glorify you.I will praise you as long as I live,and in your name I will lift up my hands. Get the Surrounded Devotional 14 days of exploring how God is with you in the storm and learning how to fight your battles by praising God. Even though she kept being afraid, she pushed through anyway because her faith in the purpose for which God chose her was greater than her fear. Our relationships can completely change for the better when we are willing to trust God with our mistakes and sins. Their faith allowed for contentment with whatever the outcome. Everyone experiences periods in life that look nothing like they had imagined. He was God and didnt have to give thanks for anything, but he often did. Deborah was one of those amazingly talented people who seemed to be able to do it all. Humbled, Job thus saw that he did not possess a wide enough perspective to judge God. I think part of the reason Isaiahs faith stayed strong despite bad news was because he was honest about his doubt and frustration and he believed deeply in Gods purpose. What hit home for you in this article? How might these stories and lessons from the Bible speak to your troubles? David danced before the Lord in the streets as a response of praise to his holy God. A young girl filled with immense thanks knew exactly where her praise was to be directed. In the good and the bad, in the ups and downs, our natural response must be gratitude. During this time, he actively preached the word of God to the people who visited him. God doesnt want us to be held back by our past, and wants to help us be able to move forward. He can give praise to our God even when He felt abandoned. In difficult times, we may be tempted to believe that God has abandoned us or has lost vision for us. I'm glad you're here to journey with me! Plus, get a set of printable prayer and scripture cards, including these 20 Bible verses for praising God in hard times. The psalmist in Psalm 42 questions the reason for his despair; then he instructs himself to hope in God. Job protested his innocence to his friends, and eventually asked God to explain Himself. Solomon requested an understanding mind to enable him to govern the people fairly and to judge the kingdom righteously, with discernment between good and evil. Imagine being one of the Israelites who walked through the Red Sea and saw Pharaohs army destroyed. When perhaps your sacrifice was difficult. We too need to believe that our future is in the hands of a God that loves us. I cannot see because Im deep in the fog of depression. Ruth stuck by Naomi when she felt bitter and alone, but then Naomi decided to help Ruth too: One day Ruths mother-in-law Naomi said to her, My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.. David is a man known for praise. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praisethe fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Whenever I know my pastors are going through difficult times, seeing them continue to preach Gods word boldly encourages me that God can give us grace to go on. When you need to find words of praise on those hard days when your heart is heavy and its a struggle to see the blessings, lean on words of praise from the Bible. These cookies do not store any personal information. Bible verses about praising God can help guide your prayers in these times. Hebrews 13:15. In the end, not only did I pass, I even attained a B3! 2 Chronicles 20:22, "At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves." In that story, King Jehosaphat was up against an army that was going to invade his land. He persistently, continually, and repeatedly praises the Lord. God was real and present in her life. my Savior and my God. Its good to know that our Father invites us to confide in him, to share our feelings honestly in prayer. Among these stories, those of Grateful Menin the Bible stand out, helping us to know how we should be grateful to God and what we gain from it. It doesnt feel so miraculous when hes busy rearranging my entire life. Marys heart was full of praise and it outpoured into the world. How has your faith been affected by a long-standing difficult situation? Have you ever said this about your life? This is the kind of friend God is to us (Psalm 103:8 VOICE), and the kind of friend we should be for each other. Now my household fills two large camps! Maybe you come up with a lot of reasons or excuses for why you shouldnt be the one to act. He is a perfect example of someone in the Bible who kept messing up, causing conflict, and acting selfishly. This article was created by a member of the Deep Spirituality editorial team. Why, my soul, are you downcast? David was the last of his brothers, in a large family where all were strong and courageous men of war, except him, who was a shepherd boy. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. What might you do to cultivate a natural response of thanksgiving? Its known throughout the land, from the greatest of the kings officials to the common folk who live in the provinces, that any person who approaches the king in the inner chamber without being invited is sentenced to death. Putting our faith in God meant we were not going to quit, but rather continue to learn and grow and change what we needed to change. 2. When perhaps your sacrifice was difficult. I will praise you more and more. Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! which is the people of the LORD. Even in their position, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego did not feel the need to defend their decision to not comply with the kings edict. Instead, it redirects our focus on who God is. Article Images Copyright , 5 People in the Bible Who Gave Thanks with All Their Heart, 10 Beautiful Biblical Descriptions of What Heaven Will Look Like and Be Like, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. What fears hold you back from taking action. When it feels like things will never change, Im realizing there is more to explore in my relationship with God. Job When talking about Bible characters who suffered, Job would be one of the first few people Christians think of - and rightly so. Esther didnt stop being afraid. David is a man. I think the enemy knows that as long as we wait for everything to line up before we praise the Lord, well stay stuck a lot longer than we need to. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king. (Esther 4:11). Intercede for me. He worshiped after the death of his son. She loved and believed in her, so nothing Naomi could have done would push her away. A longing unfulfilled can be disheartening. For me, bad news is usually followed by worst-case scenario thinking and suddenly being overtaken by torrents of anxiety and feelings of helplessness. While the governor did not believe Paul was guilty, he kept Paul in prison for two years, hoping someone would give him a bribe for Pauls release. What I find interesting is that all three of these instances were instances we might find tense. When David returned to bless her family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came He is with you. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Read More, FREE PRAYER CARDS: Deepen Your Prayers with 16 Ways to Pray. How can you trust that, whatever happens, it is God who still loves and guides you? There was a time in secondary school when I revealed a huge secret of a friend to others by mistake. My gut churns with pain. The only way God can use everything in our lives to glorify Him and bring us to salvation is if God is sovereign, which means He must be and is in control of everything. Instead, she chose to act despite her fear, and rallied her friends and family around her to pray for her as she spoke to the king. David was anointed King of Israel, was hailed a hero for conquering Goliath, led numerous successful military campaigns, became head of military operations for Israel, married the kings daughter he had it all going for him. Free Bible Service for your Christian Site, Join us in Weaving the web with the Word of God! This is a basic principle. Bless the Lord, O my soul,and all that is within me,bless his holy name!Bless the Lord, O my soul,and forget not all his benefits,who forgives all your iniquity,who heals all your diseases,who redeems your life from the pit,who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,who satisfies you with goodso that your youth is renewed like the eagles.The Lord works righteousnessand justice for all who are oppressed. It will not change with time, place, or circumstances. Anyone in the presence of the slaves of his officials! With those words, Esther was motivated to act. His road was not always smooth. David ran into the wildness to escape and during this time, he had opportunities to kill Saul. The pressure to feed thousands, raise a friend from the grave, and face death on a cross would be intense for any of us. any other of his family, chose me and made me ruler of Israel, But Esther replied: All the kings officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold sceptre to them and spares their lives. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. We can learn from this: Deborah cared about the people she led like a mother cares for her children. Stop and give incredible thanks for all God has and is doing in your life! He could have given up on God altogether, but decided to keep serving God despite his unfulfilled longing. 16 Bible Verses about Praise, Examples Of. So let us all trust in God and turn to Him. Hearing this, I realised that even though we may never understand why bad things happen, trusting in God helps us to move forward in the best way possible. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. We find ourselves in a special season that singularly focuses on the act of giving thanks. Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: trusting God no matter the outcome, 8. Be honest with yourself, God, and friends. No matter what season David found himself in, he always had the perspective of praise. How can you turn your eyes to God and sing his praises when life is hard? Jumping and dancing before the LORD, she felt for him a deep contempt. Instead, it redirects our focus on who God is. Later, in the midst of Job's suffering, his friends got into a debate with him. Paul preached Gods word to the jailer and his family, and the whole household accepted Jesus. When talking about Bible characters who suffered, Job would be one of the first few people Christians think of and rightly so. Thats the law! might think that it would be very easy for him to be grateful to God. Then he blessed Jacob there. In his darkest moments, David was still worshipping God. He never changes. Living through a stormy season? The Psalmist is full of longing to be in God's House. Do you cry out more or avoid Him? He is near to the brokenhearted ( Psalm 34:18 ). Even when our run has slowed to a crawl and our shout has died down to a whimper we can wait on our good Father with fierce expectation. [21] I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Since God knows and is working everything out according to His plan and purpose, we can praise and thank God even in difficult times. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, Can this be Naomi? [20] Dont call me Naomi, she told them. It broke all the chains and opened the doors of the prisoners! What are you carrying that at first might have seemed a bit fearful but you can now be thankful for? Jesus set a remarkable example for us in many ways but one was in thanksgiving. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Someone in the Bible who understands this dilemma is Esther. Theres only one exception, and thats if the king were to hold out the gold scepter to that person and spare his or her life. Im sure it wasnt always easy but he knew thanksgiving was always necessary. But with the encouragement of friends and prayer we had to decide whether our faith was going to be in our circumstances or in God. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is about the faithfulness of God, and what it means to live by faith. We all have a picture of how we want our life to play out. Thankfully, we can always turn to Gods word for guidance whenever we go through such difficult periods. During these times, prayer can be especially difficult. But, if we review Davids story in the Bible, we realize that becoming king for him was a difficult path to travel and that, however, God was with him in every part of his life. And you can find strength, comfort and guidance in the Lord during these challenging times. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. Bible Stories about Trusting God in Difficult Times. David trusts the word of God and knows that God is worthy to be praised. If you are like me, and you endure adversity for any length of time, it can be easy to lose faith and quickly turn to self-pity and unbelief. There is no greater joy than seeing Gods destiny rise above our circumstances. 2023 Deep Spirituality / Privacy Policy. . Mordecai believed in Esther even when she didnt believe in herself. Here are five of these individuals, and some takeaways we can learn from them. For example, God is love. These characters are the following: 1. Hopelessness, confusion, anger, depression? Miriam Miriam, the older sister of Moses and Aaron, gave thanks to God while playing her tambourine and dancing with joy with the other women whom God saved from the Egyptians after they crossed over the Red Sea ( Exod. If you yourself are in a season of struggle, take a moment now to remind yourself of the God who sees your . [12] But you promised me, I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore too many to count.. Hear how our family has learned to have faith during trials, and how you can find joy in trials too with a free joy Bible study sample. She wasnt some great leader who wanted to make huge changes in the world. All of us have moments when we feel discouraged by lifes circumstances. Yet because of her confident faith in Jesus, she was able to ignore the pain for a moment and ultimately take the risk that changed everything. My resistance to vulnerability makes me unsympathetic and fake. 1. But I will sing of your strength;I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.For you have been to me a fortressand a refuge in the day of my distress.O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,for you, O God, are my fortress,the God who shows me steadfast love. Get your FREE set of printable prayer cards outlining 16 different ways to pray today! Then Jacob prayed, O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac O LORD, you told me, Return to your own land and to your relatives. And you promised me, I will treat you kindly. [10] I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. Though the fig tree does not budand there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop failsand the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the penand no cattle in the stalls,yet I will rejoice in the Lord,I will be joyful in God my Savior.The Sovereign Lord is my strength;he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,he enables me to tread on the heights. Later, Moses returned to Egypt to convince the new Pharaoh to free the Israelites, risking his life. If you keep reading his story, Jacob ends up reconciling with his brother after wrestling with God. Everyone felt backed up against a wall with no way out, but thats because no one would have predicted that He would part the Red Sea for the Israelites to walk through on solid ground. Is your faith based on the outcome of your difficult situation? Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;save me and I will be saved,for you are the one I praise. The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me. [22] So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. Check out these 5 Bible characters that faced many failures, but still came out successful next to Jesus. I wouldnt be so overwhelmed with the busy schedule of my life, but would believe that I can handle it because God is on my side. Esthers cousin and adopted father, Mordecai, asked her to stand up for her people. PRAISES PROMOTES PRODUCTIVITY: Psalms 17:5-6. These general principles do not change with time, place, or circumstances. Have you found yourself slipping into the dark shadows? They trusted God completely. Keeping faith in God during hard times can be extremely difficult. Do you run, get defensive, shut down, or do you take your feelings to God? We. There honestly isnt a lot of information about her but her mark in the Bible is significant. I will exalt you, Lord,for you lifted me out of the depthsand did not let my enemies gloat over me.Lord my God, I called to you for help,and you healed me.You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;you spared me from going down to the pit.Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;praise his holy name. In Psalm 34, David reminds us that we should praise God through the good times and bad. Lean on the words of others until you find your own. Dont be like one of the nine that was blessed and moved on. We can look to her as an example for how to handle the chaos of our daily lives. Because faithfulness (or in Hebrew, emet) is the last word used to describe . And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. When he was young, Jacob had a relationship with his brother Esau that was complicated at best. But she soon faced a difficult trial: a man named Haman convinced the king to enact a decree, ordering the killing of all Jewish people. Its been a grueling series of doctor appointments and tests that have left us feeling frustrated and forgotten. How do you respond when faced with the consequences of your mistakes? Then suddenly, because of a jealous king, David spent the next ten or more years running from Saul, held up in a cave with a motley crew of misfits. "Blessed and greatly favored are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; They will be (Be Still) singing Your praises all the day long. The Bible or word of God is full of wonderful stories and life lessons whose purpose is to bring us closer to a living God who is a rewarder of those who seek him. Paul was then transferred to Rome and placed under house arrest for another two years. He had everything that anyone living in that time would want a big family, good health and plentiful wealth. ax. She had become their mother and that relationship helped her to keep going. He worshiped after the death of his son. His connection to God deepens during difficulties. God is an outside-the-box thinker. Sign up below for your FREE Printable Prayer Cards: Hi, I'm Kathryn! Although the woman in this passage was unnamed, her story of faith is unforgettable and inspires me to never give up. Who among these Bible characters is your favourite and why? Our destiny is determined by God. They can happen even when we are surrounded by comfort. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Regardless, I pushed through the fear and apologised. Ecclesiastes 9:11 teaches us that time and chance happen to us allin other words, everyone will, at some point or another, experience some adversity. Yet Jesus' answer is that we must trust in . Praise should fill our hearts every day, no matter our circumstances especially when we are walking through seasons of great trials. Make the choice to fill your heart with words of praise and thanksgiving for God. Jesus response was never to panic or run to people, but to turn to the Father. This mercy is anchored in past events. If you go back and read the rest of the book of Ruth, youll see a very inspiring end to Ruth and Naomis story. But we can take comfort from the stories of these five Bible characters: with God, nothing is impossible to overcome. Some may be struggling with an exam season, others may be going through a painful breakup. 6. How did I get myself here?. My to-do list feels like it goes on forever. Anyone in the presence of the slaves of his officials! Praising God in the hard times doesn't minimize or deny heaviness of heart. Sometimes during difficult times we simply need to remember God. Praising God in the hard times doesnt minimize or deny heaviness of heart. I will also praise you with the harpfor your faithfulness, O my God;I will sing praises to you with the lyre,O Holy One of Israel.My lips will shout for joy,when I sing praises to you;my soul also, which you have redeemed.And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,for they have been put to shame and disappointedwho sought to do me hurt. Jumping and dancing before the LORD, she felt for him a deep contempt. God set up His people for an incredible future of redemption and hope. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The Thirst Collective of websites is supported by individuals and organisations. 1. How has this influenced your belief in Gods love and faithfulness? Here is a lesson we can learn from Job: we can trust in Gods wisdom even when we do not understand. But the basis of our faith for this praise is Romans 8:28: "All things work together for good to them that love God.". Deborahs family (the people of Israel) had its dysfunctions just like many of ours do. when David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. What type of prayer do you need to have to change your mindset on difficulty, to see it as God having your right where he wants you? God then spoke to Job in a storm. We can trust in Gods wisdom even when we do not understand we should remember to turn to God for help. He promised never to leave or abandon his children, so we can count on his presence, even when our emotions cant confirm it. With Gods help, Moses successfully led the Israelites across the Red Sea and away from Pharaohs army. Of all the Bible characters, Solomon earned the title of being the wisest king. Though it is easy to get afraid of having nowhere to turn, these are the moments we can see God work at his best. While queen Esther was Jewish, she had been hiding her identity. We can all learn from her courage to act despite our fears during times of trouble. Although the woman in this passage was unnamed, her story of faith is unforgettable and inspires me to never give up. This gives us at least a vision of ourselves rejoicing in the future. If you ever want to feel better about your own flaws and mistakes, read the story of Jacob. It is possible to praise the Lord in hardship. Do you freeze up, run away, blame others? To have hope in God is to wait expectantly for him. Where is God when it really hurts? May God be blessed, he says, because of his mercy. Even though I knew it was wrong, I compromised to save myself, and regret that decision to this day. Selah." ( Psalm 84:4 NASB) The context of Psalm 84:4 uses the phrase "be still" in a different way than we've seen so far in our study. When Jesus entered a village (Luke 17) there were ten lepers that called out to him for healing. This is something we can learn: to not compromise when faced with solutions which we know are wrong. 14 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. Have you been denied something youve longed for a long time? 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. When we feel alone, what often helps us not slip into bitterness is to see the purpose we have in other peoples lives. We all can find inspiration in Davids journey to fulfill his destiny. The temptation to believe that our dreams were shattered, our hopes destroyed and God no longer had a plan for our lives was strong. At this time in history, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was influenced by those around him to set up an image of gold and require everyone in the land to bow down and worship it. As a new young queen, Im sure Esther felt a little out of her element. When given the opportunity to step up and lead, Esther said, No way!. He helped her see the purpose and vision God had for her, challenging her to take that leap of faith. We know they trusted God because they continued to serve God, and God described them as righteous. How do you trust God through difficult times? We can draw near to him by singing psalms or hymns, or reflecting on his goodness and speaking well of him.