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Trusting God in Hard Times

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Don’t Be a Slacker Prayer Warrior

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It never fails, I’ll be talking with someone and they will ask me to pray for them. In that moment I fully intend to cover that prayer request during my quiet time but I usually forget by the time I get home.

When someone at church or Bible study shares something they are struggling with, my first thought is that I need to remember to pray for them for the rest of the week.

Sometimes I’m able to jot down a prayer request on a post-it or napkin or whatever is close by the moment I hear about it. But then when I’m ready to sit down and pray I can’t find that piece of paper.

I don’t mean to be a prayer slacker. But life happens and I tend to forget.

I bet you can relate!

The Bible is clear that we are to pray for each other. We need to lift each other up especially when times are hard. So how can we get a handle on our prayer slacker tendencies?

How to Stop Being a Prayer Slacker

Stop Waiting to Pray

One way we can stop being prayer slackers and stop forgetting about those precious requests by the time we get home is to learn to just stop and pray right then and there. There’s no reason you have to wait for the perfect time to cover someone in prayer. The perfect time to pray for someone is the instant you know they need it.

I can’t tell you how blessed I’ve been by someone taking a few minutes to just stop what they were doing to pray with me over the phone or in person. There have been days where I walked into church and was greeted by a smile and big hug–and prayer. I didn’t have to say a word. They could just tell by the way I looked that I needed someone to speak a word over me.

Keep checking in

Another thing we need to do is keep praying and checking in with the people we are praying for. First, you won’t know that it’s time to rejoice in the Lord when the prayer is answered if you aren’t checking in. It’s also going to really encourage the other person to know that you didn’t just say you were going to pray and walk away.

When you check in with them from time to time it’s a reminder that you haven’t forgotten about them. A little encouragement for their hearts to hold onto when they feel like they are all alone in their struggles and pain.

How to Keep Track of Prayer Requests

When I committed to be more consistent in covering my friends and family in prayer, I went looking for ways to stay organized. I have found two ways to never forget a prayer request again.

Method #1: Index Cards

I actually got this idea from my friend Candace at His Mercy is New. For prayer requests from close friends and family, I use index cards to keep track of requests. I keep one request per card. On the card I write down the name(s) of the person(s) I’m praying for, the request and the date of the request, and then I usually write out a prayer. I also write out a verse that God brings to mind while I’m praying over this need.

When it’s time for prayer I simply pull out my cards and start praying my way through them. I keep the cards in a little box or on a keyring so I can keep them together or take them with me in my purse. My favorite thing is being able to write down the answers to the prayers!


Method #2: Prayer Request Sheet

One other way I keep track of prayer requests is simply with a sheet of paper I keep in my prayer notebook. I use these for requests that I get in my online prayer community, emails, or church/Bible study. I just make a list of all the requests and I pray over them during the following week. A journal is also a great way to keep track of prayer requests.

How do you keep track of prayer requests?

How God Uses Hard Times to Wake Us Up

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There was a time in my life when I felt completely helpless. I felt weak. I had no voice. I had no fight. The devil was out to kill me and I was making it easy for him.

The truly terrifying thing is that I didn’t know it.

I was being systematically stripped of my identity. The very core of who God created me to be was under attack. I thought I was going crazy. Fear and anxiety controlled my mind and my thoughts.

I was sick all the time. I was losing weight rapidly. I was literally wasting away.

I firmly believe that God uses suffering to draw us into a closer relationship with him. I also believe that God uses hard times to wake us up spiritually.

How God Uses Hard Times as a Spiritual Wake-Up Call

There comes a point in your trial when you wake up to the reality of what you are facing. That is the first step in embracing your identity as a prayer warrior.

This point came for Gideon one day when he was hiding. He was in a terrible situation and was giving in to his fear. But when an angel of the Lord showed up, everything changed. Gideon went from a weak and terrified coward to a mighty man of valor.

Today I want you to know that no matter how you feel, you are a mighty warrior. You are a woman of valor. All you have to do is wake up and start fighting.

When you are spiritually asleep, you are easy prey. Satan can do anything he wants because you won’t fight back. And he will keep pounding and pounding you in hopes that you never open your eyes and see the truth.

So, how can you wake up during your trial?

First, you need to take a good look at what you are doing right now in your trial. Is there some area of sin that you need to repent of right now? Is there some habit you need to break immediately?

Next, you need to start praying like you’ve never prayed before. Call out to God for His help and wisdom. Ask Him to show you what you need to do. And when He speaks you need to listen and obey immediately.

And then what?

This is the exciting and scary part: you get to watch God work!

When Gideon finally stepped into the calling on his life, God defeated an entire army and saved a nation. Just imagine what He can do when you step into your calling.

It’s time to wake up, Prayer Warrior! It’s time to wage warfare against the enemy.

Facing Obstacles to Your Prayers

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Persistence is the key to effective prayer during hard times. If something is standing in your way right now listen up! Here’s what you need to do.

She wanted justice. Nothing extraordinary or unreasonable. She had been wronged and she just wanted it to be made right. So she went to the person in charge and asked for his help.

There was just one problem: he refused to help her.

So she asked again.

He continued to refuse to hear her out. He wouldn’t take any steps to do what was right. He was heartless and he didn’t care about the people he was supposed to look after. He had no respect for God either.

But she kept asking.

Finally, the man got so sick of hearing from this woman that he gave in and finally gave her the justice she sought. He finally did the right thing.

Can you relate to her struggle?

What You Need to Remember When You Face Obstacles in Prayer

This story is not about me but I have been that woman. I have been wronged and went to all the right people for help and was refused. I went to my church with my concerns about the abuse that I was suffering. They didn’t want to hear anything I had to say. In fact, they continued to embrace the man who was abusing me and my children. That hurt.

I went to the police for help but there was nothing they could do. And the court system? Not very helpful at all either because the judge was being fooled and manipulated by my abuser. Even my lawyer seemed to be under his spell. That was frightening.

Everywhere I turned I had a door slammed in my face. After a while I realized that I had been knocking on the wrong doors. I needed to appeal to the real Judge in my case.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow is a great lesson on being persistent in prayer. Jesus used it to encourage His followers to never give up in prayer. I found a lot of encouragement in this passage during seasons when I felt defeated.

If there was one lesson that I could share with you from this scripture it would be the importance of understanding who has the final say when it comes to prayer.

There’s a reason Jesus took the time to explain that the judge in this parable had no respect for people or God. There’s a reason He took the time to point out that the judge had no intention whatsoever of doing right.

In the end, none of that mattered:

Then the Lord said, ‘Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!’ Luke 18:6-8a NLT

That thing or person standing in your way… not more powerful than God.

When God makes a promise (to give justice to His children who cry out) you can be sure He will keep it. Keep going to the throne in prayer. Keep making your requests known to the Father. And watch as He comes to your aid!

How to Stand Firm on God’s Promises

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Inside: If you are facing an impossible situation you need to keep standing on God’s promises. Here are 3 ways to can do that when things get hard.

I had been praying for over a year. My family was praying. My church was praying. People that I didn’t even know were praying. I was at the end of my rope and was about to let go.

But then it happened. God moved and worked a miracle. We rejoiced! And I danced like a fool in my dining room with my children. For the next three months we witnessed God answer prayer after prayer. He gave us everything we asked for.

Imagine our surprise when after months of rejoicing we found ourselves heartbroken and in tears. It seemed like God had changed His mind. We didn’t understand.

One of the biggest challenges to praying during hard times is continuing to stand when things look hopeless. It’s a true test of faith and perseverance.

My head knows this, but when things started going backwards my heart wasn’t trying to hear it. It hurt. I hurt, my children hurt, and I was so disappointed. I thought that we were at the end of this hard time but it seemed like God wasn’t finished yet.

How to Keep Standing On God’s Promises

One of my favorite Bible stories growing up was David and Goliath. I loved hearing how a young boy was able to defeat a big, mean giant with a slingshot and a rock. There’s a lot to learn about how to stay in the fight during hard times from this story in scripture.

God Prepares Us for the Big Battle

David knew that God would protect him and give him victory because of the times God had done it before. As a shepherd looking after sheep, David had to face lions and bears. He was no stranger to a good fight and he wasn’t about to back down.

God always prepares us for the battle against the enemy. Those small victories that we get during our trials are meant to make us strong. They make us bold so that when we face the giants in our lives we won’t be afraid.

You Have to Fight Your Way

My little guy likes to walk around in our shoes and wear our clothes. He looks so cute stumbling around in clothes that are clearly too big for him. I imagine that must be what David looked like in Saul’s armor. The clothes didn’t fit. They weren’t meant for David. God wanted David to fight in the way that fit him.

The same goes for us. Each of us has a specific way of waging warfare on the devil. We each have gifts and talents and strengths that we should embrace. Just because your friend prays or worships in a certain way doesn’t mean that’s the only way to get victory. You need to seek God for guidance in which warfare strategies He wants you to use.

Know Who Is Really Fighting

David was a smart young man. He knew exactly who was going to have the victory when he faced Goliath. He didn’t go out there thinking that he was going to kill Goliath in his own strength. He knew that God was the one who would defeat the enemy and get the glory.

What giants are you facing today?

The Secret to Hearing From God

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I needed answers.

I wasn’t used to hearing from God but I knew that if I was going to continue to grow during my trials I needed to have my ears tuned to that still small voice. There were times that I thought I heard Him speak to me, but honestly, I wasn’t sure.

In the past, there were times that I was sure I heard from the Lord, but I was wrong.

Looking back, I realize that I wasn’t taking the time to actually hear. I was depending on other people to hear for me. I learned the hard way how dangerous that is.

Several bad relationships had led me to a place where I really didn’t trust myself. It happens with abuse victims. You are controlled for so long and you are told that you are crazy for so long that you eventually start to believe it. I mean, when church leaders and half a congregation all have such nice things to say about a person it must be God speaking, right?

I was wrong. But as I began to heal and grow, I was determined to learn to hear from God. I knew that He wanted to talk to me so I decided that I needed to learn how to listen.

3 Secrets to Hearing from God

I remember asking my spiritual mentor how I could know if I was hearing from God. She is so sweet and patient with me and my sometimes childish questions. She encouraged me to be still and listen. And to test anything that I thought I was hearing with scripture.

So I began to search for an answer to my question and came across this verse:

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 NLT

That verse confirmed what my mentor shared with me: The key to hearing from God is learning to listen. But there’s more to it than that.

Hearing from God Means You Know Him

One of the reasons God allows suffering is to be in a closer relationship with us. The only way to get to know God is spend time in prayer, Bible reading and study, and other spiritual disciplines. There’s no way for me to understand the true character of God if I don’t learn all that I can about Him.

My boys are with me all the time so they know me. They know what I approve of and what I don’t. They know how to approach me to ask for something and they know when I mean business.

We need to know all those things about our Heavenly Father.

Hearing from God Means He Knows Us

If you’ve been a parent for any amount of time, I bet you can recognize your child’s voice in a crowd. You know what they like and don’t like. You can tell when they need to take a break or a nap.

God knows all our hurts and pains. He knows what we struggle with and what we need to face. Ultimately He knows what’s best for us. And because He knows us we can trust that He hears us when we call or cry out.

Hearing from God Means Following Him

I think this is the hardest part. Hearing from God and obeying what He says is not the same thing. The Bible is full of people who heard from the Lord but still chose to disobey.

I don’t believe that God speaks because He likes the sound of His own voice. He speaks because He wants to talk with us. He wants to have a relationship with us. To lead and guide us through His perfect plan. Knowing this about God should make it easier to follow.

I am learning to listen and I hear from God often. It’s always a good day when God speaks to me. In my experience, it’s always exactly what I need to hear even when I don’t know it yet.

If you are struggling to hear from God or to be sure that you are hearing from Him, keep seeking. Keep praying and keep learning to be quiet in His presence. He will speak to you. 

Why Knowing Who You Are Is Essential for Victory

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The first step in finding victory through prayer during hard times is understanding your identity in Christ.

Have you ever wondered why you can’t seem to catch a break?

Sometimes we hit seasons where the hard times just don’t let up. They keep coming and coming and coming until we think we can’t take anymore. And then something else happens. I want to tell you something I’ve learned over the years: the reason the devil keeps attacking you is because you keep getting back up.

He knows that you have the potential to do some serious damage to his plans. And his job is to stop you before you realize how much power you truly have.

Listen, you are a daughter of the King! There is nothing He has that He will not give if you simply go to Him and ask. If you are walking through a hard time and can’t seem to get peace or victory, it could be that you don’t understand who you are and what that means.

You know who does know exactly who you are? Satan. And it’s his mission to keep you confused about who you are.

Identity is key to victory.

Why Your Identity in Christ Matters

Your identity comes from your Heavenly Father. The Bible tells us that God knows exactly who we are before we are even born. When it comes to knowing who you are, there’s only one question you need to ask yourself: Who does God say I am?

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NLT

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. Psalm 139:14 NLT

If you listen to these commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. Deuteronomy 28:13 NLT

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:37-38

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. Luke 10:19 NLT

Those are just a few verses to get you started. Spend some time searching the scriptures to see what God has to say about who you are. Read the verses, memorize them, and then stand on all the promises that belong to you as a daughter of the King!

Here’s a short list of the things you can do when you understand your identity in Christ:

  1. Battle the lies of the enemy
  2. Manage your emotions when they try to overtake you
  3. Dream and hope for a prosperous future
  4. Heal from any hurt that you’ve suffered
  5. Forgive others when they sin against you
  6. Tell the devil where to go and how to get there

When you embrace your identity in Christ you become unstoppable. There is nothing Satan can throw at you that you can’t defeat with the truth. You never have to wonder if God is really listening to your prayers or if He will really give you the desires of your heart.

God is a good Father. He loves you and only wants what’s best for you. Is there something that you need right now? Go boldly to your Father’s throne and ask Him for it!

3 Ways Satan wants to Destroy you During a Crisis

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Inside: During hard times you need to understand how Satan attacks so you know how to pray against his schemes.

Shivers run down my back at the memory. The look on his face. The way he looked at me but didn’t see me.  The slight smirk on his face. And the instant dismissal of my feelings.

I have looked evil in the face. Survived manipulation and control.

Life is hard on a good day when someone thrives on making you feel crazy and less-than. I struggled to ground myself in truth. Second guessing every single choice and decision.

I couldn’t trust my own mind. My thoughts betrayed me. My emotions overwhelmed me day after day.

I met with accusation after accusation from my abuser and anyone that he was able to trick into believing his version of the truth. All of his energy went into ruining my reputation.

In his reality, I was the destructive one and the one with the problems. He was the victim.

You may not have walked through the pain and heartache of abuse, but if you are a child of the King Satan’s sole purpose is to accuse you of any and everything he can think of.

The enemy of your soul. Make no mistake, he wants to see you destroyed.

Uncover 3 Ways the Enemy Wants to Destroy You

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Part of learning to turn to prayer during hard times is being able to recognize the different schemes and attacks of the devil. The Bible tells us Satan is a thief whose sole purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).

One reason God allows suffering is to bring us into a closer relationship with Him. Satan tries to use our suffering to drive a wedge between God and us. Why? Because he knows the only way we are going to defeat him is with God’s help.

Satan doesn’t want that.

If you are going to find peace and healing you have to learn to overcome these spiritual attacks. Here are three ways the devil tries to hinder you during hard times:


#1 Satan Attacks by Preventing Your Spiritual Growth

Pain can be paralyzing. When things are so bad that you don’t know what to do, it can be very tempting to stop doing anything. Satan knows if he can get you to stop growing closer to God, you will never be able to defeat him.

He will lie to you and tell you there’s no point in reading your Bible because it doesn’t apply to your situation. He will try to convince you that you are so sinful and have made so many mistakes it’s not possible for God to ever bless you in any way.

Your strength during hard times comes from God. You find the faith you need by seeking to know more about Him. Satan’s attacks will often be aimed at keeping you from getting to know the truth.

#2 Satan Attacks Your Character and Reputation

During the process of getting free from my abuser, I had a hard time getting help from all the “right people.” My church was not a safe place for me.

The leaders there had known my abuser long before I started attending so they took everything he said and did as gospel. He even convinced people I’d never met that I was the Wicked Witch of the West.

Watching my reputation get ruined over things I did not do was heartbreaking. I already felt I’d lost so much and this was one more thing to add to the list.

Along with my reputation, my character was under attack.

I often struggle to keep it all together when times get hard. I get angry and frustrated easily. I snap at my friends and family and push people away.

Satan loves this because it leads to more isolation and makes me an easier target.

If you are suddenly facing people questioning the core of who you are, don’t fret. God will vindicate and redeem you! I have had people I didn’t even know contact me to apologize for their sins against me and for believing the lies they were told.

Christians are known by their actions. When the temptation to act ugly comes, recognize it as an attack and resist it.

#3 Satan Attacks Your Faith in God

The longer I’m in a trial the harder I begin to pray. I get so desperate for God to move in my circumstance I find myself waking up in the middle of the night in prayer. This is a good thing!

When God seems silent or things seem to take a little longer than I hope, Satan tries to exploit that. He wants to magnify doubt and worry so we will stop believing God will keep His promises to us.

Satan knows if he can get us to believe the lie that God won’t come through, he can get us to stop praying. If we stop praying, he knows he can weaken our faith. And when our faith is weak, Satan can run amuck.

Remember, when Satan starts attacking you, you are on the right path. He only attacks people he knows are dangerous to his mission.

You have to look evil in the face and refuse to back down until you are free!

Why We Go Through Hard Times

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Have you ever wondered why God allows suffering?

The hardest part about going through hard times is watching the hurt and pain that my children suffer. Working through my own fears and doubts was a lot of work but it was nothing compared to the heartache I felt over my sweet babies. They had done nothing to deserve what happened to them. Knowing that my foolish choices opened the door to their pain was something I struggled with for a very long time.

Sometimes bad stuff happens. Even to the innocent. As I tried to make sense of all the pain, I was left with one question for God: Why?!

That one word echoed in my heart and mind all day long. My soul screamed at God. I was prepared to face the consequences of my sin and poor choices but my children were where I drew the line. I was confused, frustrated, and a little angry. I wanted to know why.

Why did I have to watch my boys’ hearts break every single day?

Why did I have to stand by while they were hurt over and over?

Why didn’t God step in and keep them safe from all of this?

With clenched fists, tears streaming down my face, and my heart racing I demanded an answer from God. And He answered.

3 Reasons God Allows Us to Suffer

The Bible tells us that Job demanded an answer from God as well. He lost almost everything: his children, his servants, his cattle, and his health. His friends and wife were of no help to him as he suffered. If you have ever been at a point where you felt you had nothing left to lose, I bet you can relate to Job.

That night as I lay on my bedroom floor worn out from screaming and crying I felt God whisper to the deep aches in my heart and soul. It was both comforting and convicting, but definitely something I needed to hear.

God Allows Suffering to Make Us Aware of our Sin

When things start going wrong in my life I usually start asking myself if there’s anything I did that put me in that situation. Often, if I take enough time to search my heart, I find that my sinful choices or desires have led me down a dangerous path.

I believe this is one reason God allows suffering. Sometimes the only way to get us to stop and take a good look at ourselves is to allow some hard things to come into our lives. God does not do this to make us feel bad about ourselves. He does this because He knows that in order for us to continue to grow spiritually, we need to repent and let go of sins that threaten to hold us back.

God Allows Suffering to Show Us We Can’t Do This Alone

I’m a big advocate of community, especially when times get tough. I can’t tell you the number of times I have needed my fellow sisters to hold me up when I couldn’t form the words to pray for myself.

So many times I found myself on the verge of giving up when a text or email gave me enough hope to get me through the rest of the day.

When things get tough it can be very tempting to isolate yourself. Resist that temptation. God made us to be in fellowship with each other. It makes us strong and keeps us in the fight. The moment things become more than you can bear, reach out to someone. Let them know you need prayer!

God Allows Suffering to Bring Us Closer to Him

Ultimately, I believe that God is after a deeper relationship with us. And He often uses hard times to get our attention. When things are going great we are not so quick to turn to Him. But when trials come, they often drive us to our knees in search of answers and comfort.

I believe that my little tantrum was exactly the moment God had been waiting for. When I was finally done trying to fix everything and done trying to make sense of the mess. In that moment, as I screamed at the heavens, I was finally ready to lay that burden down where it belonged… at the foot of the cross.

When we finally surrender the need for control and give it over to God, He gets to do what He does best. And that’s a great place to be. Safe in His arms.

Why Your Prayers Aren’t Working

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Inside: Have you ever questioned if prayer really works? Here are 3 things to consider if you feel like your prayers aren’t working.

I was frustrated and confused after spending some time in prayer that morning. If I’m honest, I’d been feeling that way for about a month. I knew that something just wasn’t right. Prayer is supposed to leave me feeling peace and strength, not desperate and alone.

I had been seeking God for something very specific for almost a year and I just didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere with Him. I knew that perseverance was a huge part of prayer during hard times but this was something that I just couldn’t wrap my brain around.

My prayers were not working and I wanted to know why.

Maybe you can relate …

You’ve spent time crying out to God telling Him all your hurts and pain. You’ve been reading your Bible, fasting, and embracing community as you wait for God to deliver you. But something just doesn’t fit. It’s more than not wanting to wait on God. You actually find yourself wondering if He is listening to you at all.

3 Obstacles to Being Effective in Prayer During Hard Times

There are often 3 things that stand in the way of a breakthrough and effective praying:

  1. Lack of knowledge about who God is
  2. Lack of knowledge about who the enemy is and how he works
  3. Not understanding who you are as a daughter of the King

When we don’t know who God is then we cannot understand why He allows suffering. We also don’t understand why He is the key to our victory and healing. God is all mighty. He has the power and the authority to do anything that you ask! He has all that you need. He is the answer. He is ABBA: the source of all righteousness and goodness.

In our darkest moments, we can give too much power to the enemy. Yes, he wants you to suffer and will use your pain and hurts to attack you. But he is not more powerful than God (or you). The devil has no new tricks up his sleeve. He has been telling the same lies for eternity. Learn to spot his tricks so you don’t fall prey to the traps.

You must know and embrace your identity in Christ. As a daughter of the King, you have access to His power. You have authority over the enemy. That is why he attacks and distracts because he doesn’t want you to realize this truth. You can defeat the devil. Run to the source; cast your cares! Put your armor on and stomp on the devil.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Luke 10:19 ESV


Four Stages of Spiritual Growth During Hard Times

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Prayer during hard times is key to spiritual growth. If you are going to make it through your trial it’s going to take every ounce of faith you have. There will be days when you want to quit, days when you think you are going to lose your mind, and days when you are sure you have reached your limit.

As long as we are on this side of heaven there will be trials and hard times. God is always there but sometimes we feel alone on the journey.

I have personal experience walking through each of these four stages of spiritual growth. The times I’ve spent in prayer during hard times have been the seasons where my faith grew the most. It has not been easy but it has always been well worth the pain and struggles. I like to think of this journey like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.

I’m going to use the life cycle of a butterfly to describe each of the stages of spiritual growth. Let’s see where you may be in your journey.

Before the Journey Begins

You are living life unaware of how hard things really are. Yes, you are struggling with a few things but that’s just a part of life. One day you are doing just fine and the next a spilled cup of cereal sends you over the edge. It’s like the rug has been pulled out from under you and you never saw it coming.

This is typically the point where you begin to try to fix things for yourself. Things can’t really be all that bad; it’s just a bad day or week. If you just figure out where you went wrong then you can correct it and get back on course. There’s just one problem. The more you try to make things right the worse they get.

This is usually the point where you realize you are in over your head. You know that you need to focus on praying during this hard time but you aren’t sure where to start. You aren’t sure how to pray or if God is even listening. You spend a lot of time telling God that you’re giving things over to Him but you also spend just as much time taking them back.

Eventually, you get to the point where you just can’t take it anymore. There’s nothing more you can do so you give up. When you reach your breaking point that’s when God can finally step in and take over.

This is when the journey from despair to deliverance begins.

STAGE ONE: ARISE

(CATERPILLAR EGGS ARE LAID)

This stage is hard. It involves a complete shift in mindset. You have to stop believing the lies about yourself, God, and the enemy. You’ll spend a lot of time crying and questioning everything that you thought you knew about God and His plans for you. This is a great time to start journaling. Write down everything you think you know about God, yourself, the enemy, and your circumstance. Then start reading what the Bible has to say about each one.

I remember when I first started to really understand who God is and what that meant for me and my situation. I was frustrated at all the things I didn’t know. I was angry about the abuse I’d gone through and all the lies I’d been fed about myself and my God. That anger fueled my desire for the truth. The more I learned, the more peace and strength I gained.

When a butterfly lays its eggs you can already see the caterpillar inside. It hasn’t hatched yet but you can already see what it will become. The eggs are also laid on a leaf so that they have what they need to grow when they hatch.

This is the stage where you need to embrace your identity as a prayer warrior. I know that you may not feel like a warrior but you are. You already have everything you need to make it through this trial. God has already equipped you with the weapons you need to win this war.

STAGE TWO: GROW

(THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR)

This stage is characterized by a lot of spiritual growth and biblical disciplines. Once you embrace your identity as a prayer warrior you are ready to learn the basics on prayer during hard times. This is when you need to be in the Word daily, reading, studying and memorizing scripture. This is when you need to be praying daily and reaching out to your community. 

Caterpillars don’t stay in this stage for very long. All they do is eat and eat and eat. Preparing for the time when they begin to transform into a butterfly.

I couldn’t get enough of God during this time in my journey. I wanted to read and pray and be in church all the time. The more I learned about God the more I wanted to learn. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. I began to dig really deep into the Truth and I finally started to feel free.

Learning how to study the Word for myself meant that no one could ever use scripture to control or abuse me ever again. Memorizing verses meant that I could stand up to the enemy when he tried to paralyze me with fear. Being a part of a community meant that I was no longer isolated and alone. I found my strength. I found my voice. And I found my fight.

STAGE THREE: FIGHT

(CATERPILLAR GOES INTO A CHRYSALIS AND BEGINS TO TRANSFORM)

I’m going to be really honest here and tell you that stage three is hard. I read somewhere that when a butterfly goes into its chrysalis it has to completely liquify itself as part of the transformation. It becomes completely undone and unrecognizable before it becomes beautiful.

This is the stage where you have to really put up or shut up. Are you going to believe God and stand on His Word or are you going to quit?

This is when you have to face all your demons and doubts. This is when you have to learn to take every thought captive and manage your emotions for good. You have to face your fears, doubts, and feelings of overwhelm and shame.

When things seem to go from bad to worse you have to keep trusting and keep standing. You have to remember all the things you learned in stages one and two. They will carry you through this hard stage. In my experience, stage three lasts the longest. But it’s also where you will see the most growth.

STAGE FOUR: DREAM

(Butterfly Emerges and Flies Away)

This is the stage where you can start to breathe a little. You may still be in the middle of your trial but you are confident that you will have the victory. You know who you are and whose you are. You have conquered your emotions and battled doubts. At this point, you are at peace knowing that God is in control.

You are ready to start dreaming and hoping again! And the sky is the limit. You are not afraid to ask God for the impossible because you know that with Him all things are possible.

My favorite part about this stage is being able to encourage others. Sharing your testimony is a great way to help those who are in the first three stages to keep pressing in and holding on. You can show others how prayer during hard times is key to spiritual growth and victory.

What stage are you in?