How to Deal With Overwhelming Challenges

I continue to be astonished at the level of trials that many of my closest friends are currently enduring:

• The suicide of a close relative
• Divorce
• Job loss
• Natural disasters
• Loss of home
• Financial reversal

For such people, the heartache never seems to end. They always hurt; only the amount of pain varies.  No, it isn’t fair at all, but it’s how life works. C’est la vie, as the French would say.

Where Should we Look for Help?

To our own power? That is limited.

To our friends and love ones? They are broken, too. They are dealing with their own issues.

To “experts”? No doubt, they have some answers. However, the only place to look for reliable answers to every challenge in life is God.

Praise

When we acknowledge His power and authority, he sends peace and guidance to us immediately. We might not receive instant miracles, yet we are likely to receive enlightenment that will lead to eventual victories. Frankly, most success takes time and patience.

My Cover of Two Hymns

There are proven ways to honor God and be showered with His help in return. We can sing, play, listen to, or speak words of praise. Please enjoy this brief video of me playing two prominent hymns: “How Firm a Foundation” and “How Great Thou Art”:

How Firm a Foundation (Based on Isaiah 41)

How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!

What more can he say than to you he hath said,

Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

In every condition—in sickness in health,

In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,

At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—As

Thy days may demand, as thy days may demand, As

Thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,

For I am they God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,

Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

Text: Attributed to Robert Keen

Music: Attributed to J. Ellis

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works thy hands have made,

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed;

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee, How great thou

Art! How great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior

God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art!

Text: Stuart K. Hine

Music: Swedish folk melody, ca. 1891; arranged by Stuart K. Hine

My Conclusion

There’s only one place to turn when life makes no sense: God. He knows the reason for everything, and only He has the power to create miracles. God might not take away our pain, but He can help us through it.

Related Posts

Top Reasons to Trust God

Top Ways God Encourages Us  

Top Reason to Expect God’s Help  

Do you believe?