I sat there in the hospital holding my baby brother in my arms. I knew he would not survive the night, so I cherished every move he made. My family and I were in a private room where we could enjoy the few hours our baby brother would be alive. He had a rare disease called Trisomy 13 and was not expected to live more than a few hours.
As we sat in that room holding our dying brother, it was hard to trust that God was in control of the situation. I watched as my mom and dad and seven siblings took turns holding him and soaking up his sweet little smile. After spending a few hours with him, he breathed his last breath in his daddy's arms.
It's times like this that I find it hard to trust in God and believe that He is sovereign over my life. When life is easy and relaxed, it's easy to put my hope in Him. But when times get hard and life is rough, I tend to doubt God. I have struggled with this on and off my entire life.
The truth is God is sovereign and in control whether I feel like it or not. He is always there for me, willing to offer me comfort and peace, if I will only turn to Him and accept it. Many years ago I decided that Proverbs 3:5–6 would be my life verse. It says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
I have found this verse a huge help and encouragement in my life any time I am struggling with worry and fear or doubt about God. I remind myself of the truth in this verse. My choice boils down to believing what God says . . . or not. Especially during the hard times, I have to remind myself to trust in God and to find rest and peace in Him and His Word.
Have you ever struggled with doubt and/or fear? Do you question God's sovereignty when things are rough in your own life? Some of the hardest times to trust God are when we go through situations like a break-up with a guy, a death of a close friend or family member, moving to a new city away from our friends, not making the team, and so many more situations. There is no doubt that we will go through hard times in our life. (The Bible guarantees that we will!) What will we do when those hard times happen? Will we doubt God or will we trust that He is perfect and in control of all things?
Although it was hard when my brother died and I cried many tears, I had a peace in my heart that God was in control and He had a purpose and plan for this happening. I may never fully understand what that is, but, I can trust in Him and know that His ways are perfect and I can find comfort in that.
The next time you are going through a hard time remember that God is sovereign and loves you so much. He desires for you to trust in Him and find peace in Him. He wants to offer you the strength to make it through those hard times. For me, the best way to find strength and comfort in God is by meditating on verses like the one I shared above, listening to encouraging Christian music, and praying to God. When I do those things, I feel such a peace in my heart that God is in control and I can put all of my trust in Him.
This post was contributed by Bethany and Kristen Baird.
