God's Promises in Tough Times

~ The Lord rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble. Psalm 37:39

~ The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. Psalm 146:8

~ The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7

~ Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:24

~ For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of victory. Psalm 32:7

~ You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. Psalm 71:20

~ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again-my Savior and my God! Psalm 42:11

~ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Psalm 73:26

~ No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. Psalm 91:10-11

~ Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Psalm 126:5-6

~ Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. Psalm 31:23

~ Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures-doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold. Psalm 68:13

~ "But look, God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he lend a hand to the wicked. He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Job 8:20-21

~ From six disasters he will rescue you; even in the seventh, he will keep you from evil. Job 5:19

~ For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. Psalm 22:24

~ The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

~ Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. Psalm 138:7

~ You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. Psalm 18:28

~ The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. Psalm 34:19

~ For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. Lamentations 3:31-33

~ The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2

~ Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. I will be patient as the Lord punishes me, but after that, he will take up my case give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The Lord will bring me into the light, and I will see his righteousness. Micah 7:8-9

~ "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

In heaven, God promises that there will no longer be any death or pain, but in this life we are bound to experience grief and sorrow. Jesus promised that those who mourn will be comforted (Matthew 5:4), which implies that He knew grief would be part of life-even for a Christian. Mourning a loss is not sinful or something to be avoided. Rather, when you experience loss, you can know God will comfort you. Jesus Himself experienced grief and wept (John 11:35-38).

Expressing feelings of guilt, anger, confusion, or despair is the beginning of the grieving process. God knows that you experience these feeling, and He is more than able to help you heal from them. Then you offer them to God, he will bring His comfort, hope and encouragement. He knows every thought and feeing in the deepest parts of your heart. Because of that, He knows exactly how to help you grieve. God can help you move beyond those intense feelings, which, if harbored, can interfere with your spiritual growth. If you never acknowledge these feelings, however, you cannot move beyond them.

Credited to The Billy Graham Training Center Bible - NKJV

The death of a loved one is often the most intense form of grief we experience. Even if the person who died was a Christian, there is still a sense of loss for those who remain with this world. Christians often feel this particular tension-the joy of knowing a loved one is in God's presence and the pain of missing him or her now. For the Christian, the permanent loss from death was eliminated by Jesus' death and resurrection. We will be reunited in heaven, but we still feel sorrow in the present. God under stands this and offers His comfort. You can trust Romans 8:28, which says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Though grieved by the loss of a loved one, you can still find God's joy when you look for and trust God's goodness in these difficult circumstances.

Credited to The Billy Graham Training Center Bible- NKJV

God offers His comfort directly, and He also uses us to comfort each other. We are given the privilege of being in one body-the body of Christ-caring for each other during difficult times. When someone is grieving, you may fear not having the right words to say. Often this can lead to isolation for a grieving person, since people fear saying something wrong. Simply be present for someone who is grieving. There are often no words that can remedy such a situation. Instead, you can focus your attention on meeting the immediate needs of a grieving person. This can include simple physical needs, such as providing a meal or making phone calls. It can also mean helping with an emotional need by being a compassionate listener or by simply sitting with someone. You can ask God for direction in what to do and say and depend on him to guide you. Consistent love and kindness will help a person grieve according to his or her own time frame.

Credited to The Billy Graham Training Center Bible - NKJV