Maybe things didn’t work out as planned, or you felt sad.
Sometimes, big problems happen. It can feel like everything is falling apart.
When this happens, it’s hard to know what to do. You might even wonder, “Where is God when things are so bad?”
Why Hard Times Happen
The Bible tells us that our world is not perfect. Long, long ago, bad things started happening because people chose to do wrong things.
This made the world feel broken. So, when sad or hard things happen, it’s not always because you did something wrong. It’s just part of living in a world that isn’t perfect yet.
But here’s a secret: God can use even the bad things for good!
The Bible says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
This means that God has a plan, and He can make good come out of hard times for people who love Him.
God is Always With You
When you feel scared or alone, remember that God is always with you.
He promised! Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid; do not lose hope, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” And another verse, Hebrews 13:5, tells us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
This means God will never, ever leave you by yourself. He is close to you even when you hurt a lot.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
What Trusting God Really Means
Trusting God is like trusting your mom or dad to care for you. You know they love you and will help you.
Trusting God means believing that what He says is true. It means you believe He loves you and wants good things for you, even if you can’t see it right now.
God has good plans for you.
He says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
This is a promise that God wants to give you a good life, a hope, and a future.
How to Trust God Every Day
1. Talk to God (Prayer): You can talk to God like you talk to a friend. Tell Him everything that is in your heart. You can tell Him when you are sad, mad, or scared.
◦ You can praise Him for being wonderful.
◦ You can say sorry for things you did wrong.
◦ You can thank Him for all the good things.
◦ You can ask Him for help with your problems.
◦ The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” This means you can talk to God all the time!
2. Listen to God (Read Your Bible):
The Bible is God’s special book. When you read it, it’s like God is talking to you.
You can read stories about how God helped people long ago, and it will help you know He can help you, too.
The Bible helps you think about Jesus instead of all the noisy things in the world.
3. Let Go and Let God Work: Sometimes we try to fix everything ourselves, but it just makes us tired. God wants us to give our worries to Him.
◦ Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
This means don’t try to understand everything with just your own mind. Just give it to God.
◦ And 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Throw all your worries onto God, because He loves you and cares a lot.
4. Find Strength When You Feel Weak: God’s strength is strongest when you feel very tired or sad because of hard times.
◦ The Bible tells us about Paul, a man who had a hard problem. God told him, “My grace is enough for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) This means that when you are weak, God can show His incredible power.
◦ Hard times can even make you stronger. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We also glory in troubles, knowing that trouble helps us to keep going; and keeping going helps us to grow, and growing helps us to have hope.” This means problems can help you learn to be patient, grow a good heart, and have hope.
God Will See You Through
Many people in the Bible went through very hard times, like Job, who lost so much, or Joseph, who was put in jail even though he did nothing wrong.
But God helped them, and they learned to trust Him more.
Even when you feel like everything is going wrong, remember God is with you, loves you, and has a good plan.
You can talk to Him, read His Word, and give Him all your worries. He will help you.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are confused, but not without hope; Chased, but not left alone; knocked down, but not broken.”
This means even when things are super hard, God won’t let you be truly broken. He will give you peace in your heart.
Think about one small thing you can do this week: trust God more.
Maybe spend a few minutes talking to Him, or read a Bible story.
When things go wrong, keep going and know you can still trust God. It doesn’t matter where you start, just start!