This blog post about Bible stories in challenging times will help boost your hope in God. The decision to remain hopeful amidst hard times is the mindset to rise against all odds. The devil will always put us in a tight corner for us to renounce our faith in God. Only the ray of hope will keep us from dissuading from believing in God’s intervention in our situation.
A lot of people are hopeful that their lives will end happily. These bright feelings give one a triumphant enthusiasm over any obstacle or conflict they might encounter. It is only hope that oils the wheels of hard times to keep rolling into a future of Victory.
Bible Stories about hope in hard times will boost one’s confidence and wish for something extraordinary to happen as an intervention to cease a plaguing situation. Hope in hard times is why sick people believe a miracle to happen in their complicated health condition for eternal healing. A radical change or breakthrough in an unprecedented situation results from hope in hard times.
Bible Stories About Hope in Hard Times
Lessons for Reflection
- God will provide comforters in your journey of hard times.
- Don’t let grief push away good relationships in your life.
- Don’t grieve to the point of not being able to recognize your comforting partner. It could be what you don’t want, but God knows that you deserve it, and it is the best for you.
- Don’t think of isolation in your time of grief. It could lead to suicide which is not the best decision.
- Don’t shut your emotions. Allow God to give you comfort and reassurance through people.
- Be a good friend to people going through hard times. Please do not leave them to their fate; be light in their darkest moment.
- Don’t let bitterness get hold of you in your hard times. You may not see the purpose of other people in your life.
- When you equally grieve, lend a shoulder to the weaker person to lean on, just like Ruth.
- God has prepared a better end. After grief in the night comes joy in the morning.
4. Hope amid a Planned Extinction of the Jewish Race
This story has a central character, Queen Esther and the theme of the report shows hope in hard times of fear of extinction from betrayal and hatred. This Bible Stories about hope in hard times is found in the Book of Esther, Chapters 3, 4, and 5.
Queen Esther was the young and new wife of King Ahasuerus, a replacement for the dethroned Queen Vashti, who displeased the King.
Queen Esther was in a dilemma when her people (the Jews) faced the threat of extinction. She concealed her Jewish identity for obvious reasons of being expelled from her position when discovered as an exile in that kingdom. She never needed fame, but providence had prepared it that way.
Haman, a trusted and loyal aid of the King, plotted to kill all the Jews in the land because Mordecai, Queen Esther’s uncle and adopted father, refused to bow down and pay homage to him when he was promoted above the Princes of the Kingdom. He convinced the King to decree to kill them on a particular day. Mordecai sent a letter to Esther to intervene for her people. Esther 3:12-13
Queen Esther was in a position where she had the opportunity to act, but she was afraid. She knew that anybody that went to the King without receiving an official invitation might be sentenced to death unless the King stretched his scepter towards you as a sign of acceptance into his presence.
She didn’t know if the King would call her into his presence to provide an opportunity to solicit on behalf of the Jews before the day of mass execution. At this juncture, she braced up the fear of failure, rejection, and humiliation with the hope of Victory and approached the King after embarking on a three-day fast with her people to seek the help of God in this critical time.
As you read the story, you will see that Haman was hung on the same gallows he prepared for the execution of Mordecai and the Jews.
Lessons for Reflection
- Whatever position you find yourself in during hard times is a position of a “Saviour” to your people. Utilize it to the fullest.
- God will lead you out of the snare of the wicked.
- Don’t let fear stop you from taking appropriate action toward a particular situation.
- Fasting and prayers are powerful weapons of Victory in hard times.
- Don’t hesitate to speak up for vulnerable people.
- Be hopeful in the face of an impossibility.
- Don’t let fear kill your purpose and vision.
- Don’t be timid in the face of hard times.
- Your purpose is more significant than your fears; don’t bury them out of fear.
5. Hope for Breaking the Yoke of Barrenness
There are other Bible Stories about hope in hard times bordering on childlessness in the Bible, to mention a few. They are Elkanah and Hannah, Abraham and Sarah, Manoah and wife, which the Bible never said her name, etc. In this article, I will only talk about the situation of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Their story is about faithfulness and what it takes to believe and remain hopeful in the promises of God. This is encouraged in the book of Luke 1:5-7,13-14,16-25
The couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, had a longing for the fruit of the womb. They were disheartened because they had grown old without any sign of having a child. Imagine being married as virgins, a moral standard at the time, yet they faced the hard times of childlessness. Garnering the blessings of God was measured by the number of children one had at the time.
When it was the appointed time for God to manifest his powers, Angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, telling him of the impending birth of a boy child who would eventually become the forerunner of Jesus Christ, the world’s Savior. He should be named John; no intense wine should be given, for he shall always be filled with the holy spirit and will.
Zechariah doubted the message because he and his wife were beyond the age of conceiving. He was struck by dumbness, as pronounced by the angel, and would only speak on the day the child was born.
The crux of inspiration of Bible Stories about hope in hard times about this couple is that they could trust God amid a prolonged fulfillment of their desire. Their service to God was not diminished or affected by their childlessness, but they were described as righteous.
Have you been in the situation of Zechariah and Elizabeth? Are you seeking something? Do you feel that your time of waiting is too long? Does it seem that the reproach is too much? Just remain faithful and hopeful as this couple; I assure you that your time of visitation is very close.
Lessons for Reflection
- The way you behave during hard times speaks volumes about you.
- Children of great destinies are forged in the long process of barrenness.
- Remain undeterred, even when your hopes seem dashed.
- Godstime is the best. It can be delayed, but it will never be denied.
- Your doubt over God’s promise might bring calamity to your life.
- God hates doubts.
- Your level of hope in hard times will help you from drifting into self-pity and unbelief.
- No matter the hard times you go through, keep being righteous.
- Never quit serving God despite your hard times.
- Great Prophets and servants of God should be far from intense wine. It detests the Holy Spirit.
- Faithfulness and hopefulness should be your watchword in hard times.
- After a long wait, the reward is generous.
- Even in your hard times, God loves you and is still thinking about you.
- When you experience waiting periods, you can have hope by remembering God’s faithfulness and choosing to live by faith.
- Have honest longings, and God will perfect them.
- Don’t quit believing in God, for he hears your cry and will bless you.
6. Hope for the Restoration of Sight
Two blind men exerted a great exercise of hope in hard times men. Their Bible Stories about hope in hard times are encapsulated in the Book of Mathew 20:29, 32-34 MSG.
As Jesus was leaving the town of Jericho, a great crowd followed him to listen to preaching, receive healing, and probably eat as usual. Two blind men were seated by the roadside. The Bible does not state if these men were born blind or that life happened. Probably they have heard of the great works of Jesus Christ among the multitude.
On hearing that Jesus Christ was passing through that road, they did not let that golden moment slip away. As the crowd’s noise grew louder, they knew that Jesus Christ was closely approaching where they sat. They cried with loud voices, hoping that Jesus Christ would hear them. “Master, have mercy on us, have Mercy, Son of David!”. They cried out to Jesus Christ in trust for what they required.
