WHEN IN LIFE'S TOUGHEST MOMENTS

“Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more. I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.” —Psalm 71:19-23 (NIV)

Life is not a smooth, predictable journey. There are moments of joy and ease that make us feel invincible, as if hardship will never touch us. But there are also seasons of deep struggle—times so overwhelming that some are driven to despair. In these moments, the words of the psalmist above resonate deeply. He speaks from a place of raw honesty, having faced countless troubles, many of them bitter and unrelenting. Yet, even in the depths of his pain, he offers a powerful blueprint for navigating life’s storms: keep trusting, keep hoping, and keep worshipping.

1. Keep Trusting: Trusting God is easy when life is good. The real test comes when the waves crash around us. The psalmist, despite his suffering, refuses to let go of his faith in God’s goodness. He declares in verse 19, “Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?” Even when circumstances scream otherwise, he chooses to believe in God’s unchanging character. Trusting God doesn’t mean ignoring the pain—it means holding onto His promises in the midst of it.

2. Keep Hoping: No storm lasts forever. The psalmist clings to the hope that God will restore him: “You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honour and comfort me once more” (vv.20-21). God doesn’t waste our pain. He uses it to shape us, to build our character, and to prepare us for greater purposes. Through our trials, He not only comforts us but equips us to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4). Your troubles are not the end of your story, I promise you—they are a chapter in a greater narrative of the redemptive power of God in your life.

3. Keep Worshipping: In the face of adversity, the psalmist chooses to worship: “I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered” (vv.22-23). Worship is not a denial of pain but a declaration of God’s faithfulness. It shifts our focus from our circumstances to His presence, bringing peace and solace even in the darkest times.

Life’s trials may be many and bitter, but they do not have the final say. The psalmist’s journey reminds us that even in the depths of despair, we can choose to trust in God’s goodness and worship Him through the storm. By our positive responses in times like this, it doesn’t just help us to survive, we are transformed and prepared to emerge stronger and deeply rooted in faith. No matter how overwhelming the struggle, God’s promises remain true: He will restore, He will honor, and He will surely comfort us. Our job is to keep our eyes fixed on Him, knowing that He is faithful to bring us through.

Stay blessed,  

Pastor Ranti Orioke