Devotionals for the Heart: Hope for when times are tough

Times Can Be Tough
A devotional by Tammy Karasek

All of us will have trials and tribulations in our lives. It's a given. Not every day is a perfect, beautiful day. We were never promised that. At any time, we can be going through a trial, walking beside someone who is struggling or at the very least knows someone who is. Some days are harder than others to cope with what is seemingly thrown at us and we wonder how much more?

Going through years of bullying and depression, often I wondered if anybody heard my cries or even cared. I saw others around me going through tough times as well and eventually kept those feelings inside. It felt hopeless at the time—I was trying to fix it by myself. Can you relate?

Yet, there is hope. No matter what we are going through, there is Someone who cares. Someone who loves us—who already knows what the ending will be. But I had forgotten about Him in my effort to go it alone—have you?

In these times, we must lean even closer to the One who gives hope, comfort and bring us through to the other side. His name is Jesus. With Jesus, the trials don't go away because we are believers. We will still have them. But with Jesus, we can be confident that He is bringing us through a season to mold, shape and grow us to make us better. This is something difficult to grasp on this side of the situation.

The following verse reminds me of what I need to be doing during trials:

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."
~Romans 12:12 (ESV)

As we lean into Jesus, our trials and tribulations are not erased immediately, though some can be. But Jesus is the One who will give us the strength to see it to the end, at which time we look back and see where we’ve come from. Sometimes He gives us strength just for that moment we are in. Other times, He gives us more. Through constant prayer and scripture reading, we begin to realize that His plans are better than ours and He has our greater good on His radar. Eventually, our storm has calmed and the blue skies have returned.

In my case, it was not a quick end. My struggle was over a thirty-year period. But as I look back, I now see the hands of God all over my life. He shaped me to be more thoughtful about my words because I’d been hurt by so many, compassionate towards others since I didn’t know what they were going through, and especially to find a reason to laugh every day or at the very least, a giggle.

I pray if you are currently going through a struggle in your life, you will lean into Jesus and pray with the hope that only comes from Him to guide you through this time. Know He is listening to your prayers. He cares and loves you dearly, friend.

"May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in Hope."~Romans 15:13 (ESV)

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Author Bio:

You’ll find Tammy seeing humor and causing laughter in every aspect of life. Tammy’s past filled with bullying and criticism is the driving force of her passion to always encourage others and share with them the Reason to smile. 

She’s been blissfully wedded to her college sweetheart, Larry, for 36 years. She is a mom to their grown daughter Kristen and wrapped around the paw of a little puppy named Hattie.

She’s the President of Cross N Pens Christian Writers and a member of ACFW.

She will be published in the 2018 Divine Moments book – Cool-nary Moments.

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Connect with Tammy: 
Blog - http://www.tammykarasek.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/tickledpinktam
Email - tickledpinktammy@gmail.com