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5 Beacons of Hope When You Are Suffering

5 Beacons of Hope When You Are Suffering

During times of suffering, it is hard not to lose hope. Due to losing hope, it can cause our suffering to become even worse. There are many things in this world that can cause us to suffer. This is because of sin being in the world. Ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, we have been living in a fallen world. Within this fallen world, we have to undergo suffering.

It is important to remember that God never causes our suffering. Rather, He is the One who can help us in our sufferings. No matter what we are going through, Jesus knows what it feels like. Even if you might feel at times that He doesn’t understand your suffering, rest in the peace that He does. Every pain you have felt, every tear, and every heartbreak that you have had, Jesus knows what it feels like. 

Through the good times and the bad times, Jesus is beside us (Psalm 23). As you are walking through this season of suffering, know that He is right beside you. It might feel as though He is not with you, but know that He is not a feeling. Our feelings can be distorted by many things, therefore, it is best to base things on what we know and what we know is that Jesus is always with us (Matthew 28:18-20).

Focus on knowing that Jesus is with you. He will never leave your side, even when you are suffering. In fact, sometimes Jesus becomes more clear to us when we are going through a difficult time. Times of suffering will help us to turn to Christ and to rest in the knowledge that through all seasons of life, He is with us. Never does He turn away from us. 

If you are in need of some encouragement today, know that you are in the right place. All of your pain, suffering, and feelings are always valid. God sees them, and He wants to help you carry them. Give all of these pains over to God, and He will lift you up. In the meantime, reflect on these five beacons of hope that you can remember in times of suffering.

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  • Hands with the form of the cross

    1. Salvation

    One beacon of hope to remember when you are suffering is that you have been given salvation by placing faith in Jesus. By placing faith in Jesus, you have been given forgiveness of sins, redemption, and eternal life (John 17:3). This is the most beautiful promise of Scripture as we are given salvation based on placing faith in Jesus. It is not by anything that we have done, but rather, it is by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

    Salvation is a gift from God. The Father sent His Son in order for Him to die for the sins of the world. The Father nor the Son did this begrudgingly. Rather, they did it because of their great love for us (John 3:16-17). During times of severe suffering, it can feel as though nothing is going well. It can feel like everything is going wrong and that your life is falling apart. 

    When you start feeling like this or you feel you are without hope, remember the salvation you have in Christ. This will never be taken away as salvation is permanent. Just as there was nothing you did to be saved, there is nothing you can do to lose your salvation. Don’t let troubling times get you down. Choose to rejoice in the salvation that you have in Christ. One day in the near future, all suffering will end (Revelation 21:4). 

    Salvation is given to us by Jesus, which means it can never be taken away. Nobody can lose their salvation just as nobody can earn their salvation. Your salvation is kept safely in the hands of Christ and your name will never be blotted out of the Book of Life. Instead, your name is forever engraved on the palms of the Lord (Isaiah 49:16). 

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  • 2. You Are a New Creation in Christ

    2. You Are a New Creation in Christ

    A second beacon of hope when you are suffering is to know the truth that you are a new creation in Christ. The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). During times of suffering, we can feel ashamed of ourselves or regret past mistakes. Remember the truth that you are a new creation in Christ. God does not define you by your past. You are only defined by Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

    At the time of salvation, you are a new creation in Christ. No more are you the same person that you were before. Don’t allow the lies of the world or the lies of Satan to make you feel worse. There is no place for guilt or shame in the life of the Christian. If you are suffering because of things that happened in the past, know that you are given freedom to move forward (Galatians 5:1). Life is too short to be spent at war with yourself.

    Choose to live in the freedom of Christ and know that you are a beloved child of the King. As a new creation, you are given a new future. You don’t have to be weighed down by the mistakes of the past. Suffering is painful, but you don’t need to suffer for things in the past that have already been forgiven. Jesus has forgiven you and it is time to forgive yourself as well.

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    3. The Best Is Yet to Come

    A third beacon of hope when you are suffering is to remember that the best is yet to come. No matter the reason for your suffering, know that it will not last forever. Even if the pain, heartache, and anguish lasts for your earthly life, it will not endure for all eternity. Since you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are given eternal life and in this eternal life with the Lord, you will have joy, love, and peace. There will be no more days of pain and suffering.

    The Apostle Peter tells us, “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). As Peter tells us in this passage, we are looking forward to the New Heaven and New Earth. In the New Heaven and New Earth, we will have eternal happiness, bliss, and peace. Whenever you are overcome with the worries of the world, remind yourself that this, too, will pass. 

    The New Heaven and New Earth will come as it is a promise from God. Similar to other promises of God, we can take peace in knowing that this promise will be fulfilled. Even though the establishment of the New Heaven and New Earth will not happen today, we can trust the Lord that it will happen in His timing. His timing is always perfect and we can cling to this hope when we are going through periods of suffering.

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  • woman looking out window lonely alone content sad thinking

    4. You Are Never Alone in Your Pain

    A fourth beacon of hope when you are suffering is that you are never alone in your pain. Even if you may feel alone in your pain, know that you are never alone. God is always with you, and He isn’t going anywhere. The Bible tells us this comforting truth from God, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). 

    As God tells us, He is with us. We don’t need to be afraid or dismayed. He will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us with His mighty hand. When you are suffering, reflect on this verse. Write it on a notecard and keep it somewhere you can easily see it. In this way, you will be able to reflect on this verse and keep it at the front of your mind throughout your day.

    Remember, you are never alone in your pain. God sees your pain, and He will comfort you. While God may not take you out of the pain, He will walk with you through it. He will always be by your side, and He will uphold you every day. Rely on Him for your strength and support. Never will God fail you. 

    Don’t believe the lie that God has left you alone in your pain. This is an idea that comes from negative thoughts. Don’t feed into these negative thoughts because they are only lies. In our pain and in our happiness, God is with us. There is never a time when He leaves us alone to suffer in pain. Instead, He is always right beside us.

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    5. Jesus Loves You

    A fifth beacon of hope when you are suffering is that Jesus loves you. Sadly, the words “Jesus loves you,” often come across as rehearsed or not as meaningful because people say it so much. Especially for individuals who grew up in the church, they may have heard this term so much that it has lost its impact. If this is true for you and you are going through suffering today, I want you to know that Jesus does truly love you. 

    He loves you always and this will never change. Even though the world has diluted the truth of Jesus’ love, rest in the peace that Jesus does love you. Instead of treating this truth as something to look over, truly reflect on this truth. Jesus loves us so much that He loved us even when we were living in rebellion against Him (Romans 5:8). 

    Don’t allow anything to distort the love Jesus has for you. Bring yourself back to sitting at Jesus’ feet and soaking up the love of Jesus. Spend time with Him and pour your heart out to Him. Tell Him about your suffering and the help, comfort, and peace that you need. Jesus will wrap you up with His love and He will strengthen you during this dark time.   

    Also, know that this dark time will not last forever. Times of suffering will come, yet they will not endure forever. Take time to reflect on the goodness of God amidst the pain and suffering. Focusing on Him will help you as you are struggling because even through the pain, you can see the beauty of God. God Himself and His love are beacons of hope that we can hold onto throughout our entire lives. 

    Five beacons of hope, when you are suffering, include resting in the peace of your salvation, knowing you are a new creation in Christ, knowing the best is yet to come, knowing you are never alone in your pain, and resting in the truth that Jesus loves you.

    Related Resource: A Prayer When Facing Overwhelming Stress and Anxiety

    It’s in the overloaded, weighed-down moments we all must remember to place our trust in God. He knew this was all going to happen. He did. He also knows what’s going to happen next. And he knows, ultimately, all things work for the good of those who love him. - Keri Eichberger

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    Vivian Bricker author bio photoVivian Bricker loves Jesus, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master's degree in Christian Ministry with a deep academic emphasis in theology. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, she is embarking on other adventures.