5 Keys to Remember During Adversity

Beloved, are you in the struggle of your life right now? Do you need the Lord to show up and help you yesterday–or, at the very least, immediately today? If so, I want to encourage you today with five things to remember during adversity.

If you’re going through any type of adversity right now, always remember that the Lord is with you.

Deuteronomy 31:8 tells us this:

“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV).

No matter what you’re going through, whether it be a health crisis, financial need, marriage trouble, a hostile work environment at your workplace, a prodigal child, or any other terrible thing, God is with you.

He really is. He loves you so much, and He is doing battle on your behalf right now. And the good news is, He ALWAYS comes out the winner. He purchased your victory and mine with His Own blood on the cross, and now He will always help you and bring you through to victory.

As we read in 2 Corinthians 2:14, because of Jesus you will ALWAYS triumph:

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV).

However, on the journey between knowing that we have triumphed and actually seeing that triumph manifest in our lives in all things, we sometimes encounter adversity. Jesus warned us that troubles would happen:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJV).

So, despite the fact that we do have triumph, we do go through things from time to time. I know this is not news for you; you may be going through severe adversity right now.

However, if you are going through a difficult time right now, I urge you to remember these five keys:

Key 1: A need does not equal a problem.

We humans are the neediest creatures on the planet. We all have needs at all times; we cannot even hold our own cells together in our own power. Look at Colossians 1:16-17:

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17 NKJV).

Yes, we are only capable of existing because of Jesus.

It is in HIM, and Him only, that we have our life on this earth. We see this again in Hebrews 1:1-4:

Yes, Jesus Christ Himself is the One Who makes the world spin. He is the One Who holds our very cells together. Jesus, and only Jesus, puts breath in our lungs. He upholds all things by the word of His power, and we need Him.

We cannot do anything without Jesus.

Jesus told us point-blank that we can’t do anything without Him in John 15:5:

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NKJV).

So yes, we need Jesus at all times, for everything.

Why is this so important to remember when you are going through adversity?

Because needs often feel like problems. When we have a need (which is always), and we begin to really feel that need, we interpret it as a problem.

However, in reality, having that need is just the common state of man. We all have needs at all times. We all are desperately dependent on Jesus and His power.

Even people who don’t know Jesus still depend on Him–and He still sustains them–even though they don’t realize He is doing it, and they don’t give Him any credit for it!

So, when you are going through adversity, remember this:

A need does not equal a problem.

You have needs; I have needs; we all have needs. This is not a problem; it should actually be expected. A problem would be if we have a need and there is no solution.

However, a need …

… in reality, and if we can all be really honest with ourselves and with God here …

… a need is simply an opportunity for God to show up. It’s a chance to trust God and see Him move in power. And it’s yet another chance to praise Him for His faithfulness, both before, during, and after His help appears in visible format.

You should never feel bad because you have a need.

Also, you should never hold it against someone else because they have a need. If we could all just acknowledge that, literally, we are all so dependent on God that we are constantly needy, then we can stop resenting others or feeling badly ourselves because of our needy state.

God created us to need Him every moment of every day, and it’s only a sign that you are abiding in Jesus when you get to the point where you are constantly aware of your need for Him, and you constantly look to Him to fulfill your needs. 🙂

Key 2: God is the Solution to every need.

Since we’ve established that we all have needs, isn’t it a joy that we serve the God Who is, Himself, the Solution to every need? Indeed, it is.

God is the Answer to everything. His grace is sufficient for you and for me, for His strength is made perfect in our weakness. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is where the apostle Paul wrote about this in 2 Corinthians chapter 12:

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NKJV).

I feel weak absolutely every day. However, also every day, I sit alone before the Lord and invite Him to make my weakness into a playground for His grace. I confess my dependence on Him, and I thank Him for His grace, strength, and power.

In the passage above, Paul actually said, under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, that he took pleasure “in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.”

Can you imagine how different our lives would look if we could all learn to actually take pleasure, delight in, and have joy in the fact that we are weak, needy, poor, and broken compared to God?

Can you imagine how differently we would each view the world (and life) if it no longer bothered us to be weak, because we knew God would show up with more strength than we’ve ever had before?

I think it would be life-changing. I think it would keep us from going down into self-pity, and it would help us get out of bed in the morning (even slowly) with joy on our faces and a sense of expectancy for good things in our hearts.

Beloved, Jesus is the Solution for every need.

He is the Solution for all our weakness, all our struggle, and all our perceived lack, inability, and insufficiency. He is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV).

And therefore, if we just keep our eyes on Jesus, He will strengthen and perfect us! No matter what you need today, God Himself IS the Solution!

Key 3: Pouring your heart out to the Lord will help you feel A LOT better about it.

Remember what Holy Spirit tells us in Philippians 4:6-7:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV).

Friend, no matter what you’re going through, God wants to hear about it:

• Have a financial need? Tell God all about it. (Tell, don’t complain.) 🙂
• Feel like your mind just can’t handle the stress of your life right now? Tell Him all about your troubles, and ask for His help.
• Feel discouraged and wounded in your soul? Tell Him about your sorrows and pain!

Beloved, Jesus is the Man of Sorrows. That means He took your sorrows and bore them all the way to the cross, so that you wouldn’t have to carry them in this life. He carried them for you two thousand years ago.

But how do you get to a place of peace?

You pour out your heart to Jesus in prayer:

• Whatever your troubles are, you tell Him about it.
• Whatever your joys are, you tell Him about those too.
• Whatever you are concerned about, you tell Him about all your concerns.

If you will approach the Lord and really sink yourself into prayer (read how to enter into deep prayer here), you will find an incredible peace settling over you as you pour out all of your worries to the Lord. This is what it means to cast your burdens on the Lord, so that He can sustain you:

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22 NKJV).

Until you pour out your heart to the Lord in prayer, your trouble is moving you.

That difficult circumstance you are going through is causing you to worry and making you upset. It’s moving you; it’s impacting your daily life.

However, when you pour out all your thoughts, concerns, cares, and anxieties to the Lord …

… by telling Him all about everything in prayer, with thanksgiving …

… and then you ask Him for help with it all, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (see the passage from Philippians 4:6-7 above).

Always remember Hebrews 4:16:

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV).

You can come boldly before God’s throne with your troubles, friend.

He already knows your needs, and He is ready, willing, and eager to help you. Your prayers give Him space in your life to do so. Therefore, don’t hesitate; go get that peace by pouring out all your troubles to the Lord in a special time of prayer today!

Key 4: Faith without works is dead. DO something about it!

We must understand that faith ALWAYS requires action. Read what James wrote about this in James 2:14-24:

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 

You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:14-24 NKJV).

If you believe God to help you with something or do something for you, you need to step out and take action. It doesn’t matter if you feel you have no resources, no ideas, and no abilities of your own. Step out and move anyway. Do something:

• Kick at various doors.
• Try various steps.
• Look and see what the Lord is breathing on, and keep on pursuing it until He’s not breathing on it anymore.

Faith without works is dead, beloved.

Your faith will be completely ineffective in your situation if you don’t do something about it; then do more about it; then keep on keeping on until the problem is eliminated and the goal is achieved.

To inspire you to do this, let me remind you that God’s help is assured IF you believe Him for His rewards.

If you are asking God to help you, you have to believe that He will help you:

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV).

Therefore, if you do have faith that He will help you, step out in that same faith and put action to your faith. Take all the steps you can think of to work toward solving your need.

Every little thing adds up, and God will show you what to do and what not to do. You can trust Him to keep you in His perfect paths for your life. As Paul wrote to Timothy, you also know Jesus in Whom you have believed:

“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

And yes, beloved, Jesus is able to keep you right in the center of His perfect will for your life while you step out and take action as proof of your faith!

Key 5: Expect good and not evil.

We have to expect God to show out and be good to us. As Hanani the seer said to Asa, the king of Judah, in 2 Chronicles 16:

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV).

I know it is so easy to expect more trouble, more hardship, more needs, and more persecution. Nevertheless, we are called to expect the opposite!

As believing believers, beloved friend, WE are called to expect God’s goodness, His reward, His mercy, and His grace. We are to expect Him to give us FAVOR!

As King David recorded under the direct inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit in Psalm 5:12:

“For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12 NKJV).

So yes, beloved, God will favor you today!

His grace really is sufficient for you. His strength really IS being made perfect in your weakness right now. He is queueing up good things that will happen to you today, and His love is defending you right now!

God’s favor is a shield to you, and to me, and to all of us who love Him and have made Jesus our Lord. He is giving you favor to surround you like a shield right now! (Read 5 ways to protect God’s favor on your life here.)

And yes, He is going to show Himself STRONG on your behalf today!

Our hearts do have to be loyal to Him, though.

In order for Him to show Himself strong on our behalf, we have to meet the conditions He laid out with the promise. Look again at that verse from 2 Chronicles:

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV).

Notice that His eyes are running “to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” The promise is conditional. If our hearts are not loyal to Him, then He cannot show Himself strong on our behalf.

What does having a loyal heart toward God look like?

It looks like a lot of things, including:

• Obeying God;
• Trusting God;
• Believing God;
• Confessing our faith in Him, even when persecuted for it.

But when we are going through adversity, we need to remember that loyalty toward God also means staying firm in faith, without wavering, no matter what we are going through. We can’t get over into the evil state of unbelief, even when things are at their darkest!

Look at what it says in Hebrews:

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12 NKJV).

Is your heart loyal to Him–really loyal?

Are you staying firm in faith, despite what you’re going through? Are you holding fast your confession of faith without wavering–even without wavering in your emotions?

As it says in Hebrews 10:23:

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NKJV).

That “holding fast in our emotions” thing is challenging, and all of us are probably still getting there. But regardless, we all have to rise up and BE the spiritual warlords that we are, and decide to proclaim no matter what:

“Let God be true and every man a liar!” (See Romans 3:4.)

Beloved, if we want God to show Himself strong on our behalf, our heart must remain loyal to Him …

… even in adversity. 🙂

So, expect good and not evil today. Stay firm in your faith, no matter what circumstances look like. Don’t rely on appearances; rely on God Who is moving things for you right now, even when you cannot see Him moving anything! And expect Him to bless you; to favor you; to increase you; to help you; and to bring you joy and honor today!

Remember Psalm 91:14-15:

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him” (Psalm 91:14-15 NKJV).

Beloved, the promises of God apply to you.

So, will you believe them and act on them today?

Even during adversity, God is still with you, for you, and in you. He is helping you right now, whether you can sense Him doing so or not.

And by the way …

Ask the Lord to sharpen your understanding and awareness of His presence and help if you’re not sensing Him with you, for the full awareness of His presence–even in your emotions–gives you a peace and comfort that is not to be missed. Read Psalm 16:11:

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV).

These five keys to remember during adversity can help cheer you up each and every day.

They can also help you remember to look to God with an expectation of good things, rather than always expecting more doom and gloom (and complaining about it).

To review, the five keys to remember during adversity are:

1. A need does not equal a problem.
2. God is the Solution to every need.
3. Pouring your heart out to the Lord will help you feel A LOT better about it.
4. Faith without works is dead. DO something about it!
5. Expect good and not evil.

And if you will remember these five things, no matter what you are going through, it will help you keep your eyes on Jesus, Who is the Author and the Finisher of your faith.

And finally, let us remember one more Biblical truth that will encourage you in adversity:

It’s Philippians 1:6, and it says:

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 NKJV).

Beloved, Jesus began a good work in you when He saved you from sin.

It’s true that troubles happen in this sinful world sometimes, but Jesus is stronger than all your troubles. He is not going to let you down or leave you without support. He is going to keep on working in your life, even right now, and (yes) even if you’re going through one of the hardest times of your whole existence.

God’s grace is sufficient for you, beloved.

His strength is made perfect in your weakness. And God is working in you right now, both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Take joy in His presence today, and look for His ever-present help in trouble. He will get you through–and not only that, but He will lead you to triumph!

Did these 5 keys to remember during adversity help you today? If so, please leave a comment below!