The Spirit is our Comforter, and He is always with us in every time of trial or grief. But this comfort is not something we accept passively. We need to be proactive in cooperating with the Spirit as He helps us. There are several actions that will enable you to experience the comforting strength of the Holy Spirit in difficult times. Let us discuss them.

Cast your cares on God. The Bible says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you” (1 Peter 5:7). Do you know what it means to sign your anxieties over to the Lord? I will tell you how to do that.

Next time you feel overwhelmed by your worries, go to a place of solitude. Perhaps you can sit beneath a leafy tree somewhere, with nature all around you. Take pen and paper with you and write God a letter. Tell Him in the letter that you realize you are incapable of holding the position of chairman, president, and CEO of your life; you hereby resign and offer those positions to God. From now on, you pledge to let Him supervise all the operations of You, Inc. State that you need not lose another minute’s sleep in worrying about the challenges of life. God is in charge; this is His operation from now on. Sign your letter and post it somewhere you will see it often.

Sometimes we need an uplifting little ceremony like that just to help us understand the reality of truly casting our cares upon Him. As long as we believe we are in this alone, we will never feel true comfort. Assigning your anxieties to the Lord is an essential discipline.

Offer yourself for God’s use in the midst of hardship. When we face adversity, either we can become self-absorbed and completely focused on our problems, or we can turn our eyes to selfless ministry. Paul, in reflecting upon his own suffering, wrote, “I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen” (2 Timothy 2:10). You will find in all his letters that as he faced trials and disappointments, Paul turned himself more and more to serving his many friends in the body of Christ. As you face trials, redouble your commitment to serve God in the midst of them.

Meditate on God’s promises. Let me stress once again the power of claiming God’s promises. These are the richest and most exciting truths known to humanity, and the best time to reach for them is when we need comfort. I advise every Christian to compile a list of favorite promises from God’s Word, memorize them, and keep the list available at all times. Wallets and purses are good places for them, and you can keep them on your refrigerator or in your place of prayer as well. I have a stack of twenty-five verses, which are laminated and available to memorize a few minutes here and there. One of the greatest blessings of my life has been claiming and experiencing the reality of these promises. I encourage you to memorize as many of God’s promises as possible, so that the Holy Spirit may bring to your mind the perfect promise at just the time you need it. “Trust Me in your times of trouble,” says the Lord, “and I will rescue you, and you will give Me glory” (Psalm 50:15).

That trust will be bolstered by claiming any of the multitude of promises found in the Scriptures. Here is one to start you out, a verse that will afford you untold comfort in tough times: “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Is this not the perfect time for you to commit this verse to memory?

Face your trials with the assurance of victory. C. H. Spurgeon often declared he was so sure of his salvation that he could grab onto a cornstalk, swing out over the fires of hell, look into the face of the devil, and sing, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”

Throughout my years of ministry I have spoken frequently about the importance of being solidly assured of our salvation. In the same way, we can claim victory over anything the devil may be throwing in our path. Is there any way the schemes of Satan can be successful in the face of God’s power? Not if we claim the victory through Christ. Our victory as believers is assured not because of good works, but because at the cross Jesus Christ triumphed over Satan, the world, and sin. The war itself has been won, and we must face these lingering skirmishes with full assurance. Paul writes,

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Occupy your mind with positive thoughts. Hold a coin in your hand and you will agree that you can view only one side at a time. Suffering is a kind of coin that is paid out to everyone. If you are going to view one side, choose the victorious one. Look closely at the side whose inscription reads, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). Study the image on this side of the coin—the image of Christ that we are coming to resemble more every day through the power of the Spirit, and in the wisdom and endurance that comes through our suffering. Hold this coin tightly in your hand, for it will help to purchase a future of maturity and assurance.

These are some of the positive thoughts that should control your mind when you are being tested. Paul suffered as much as any of us, and he turned every tear to joy. He wrote these words: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation” (Romans 5:3, 4). I believe that if you comprehend this truth, you will learn to face your trials with a positive mindset.

Remember God’s faithfulness. Do you remember Jesus’ story of the shepherd who leaves his ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that is lost (Luke 15:3–7)? There is also a small arctic sea bird called a guillemot. It lays its eggs side by side with countless other guillemots on narrow, rocky ledges in the far north. All the eggs look exactly alike, but if one is moved, the mother will notice. She will search for her egg until she finds it, then she will return it to its original location. How much more faithful is God than a shepherd or a bird? He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Peter writes, “So if you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for He will never fail you” (1 Peter 4:19). In other words, trust and obey, for there is no other way. Put your trust in the faithfulness of God, and obey Him in your actions as you await the victory that will come through adversity.

Because Christ lives us through His Spirit we are to maintain an attitude of thanks-giving all times.

Thank God in the midst of your difficult circumstances. When times are good, give thanks. When times are bad, also give thanks. When times are somewhere in the middle, give thanks. Because Christ lives in us through His Spirit, we are to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving at all times. Paul wrote, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I believe you will find that even during the most difficult trials, there will never be a time when you cannot think of a wide assortment of blessings for which to be thankful. Indeed, the trials themselves present occasions for thanksgiving. We can say, “Thank You, Lord, for the things you will teach me from this experience. Thank You for the wisdom I will store up in the school of suffering. Thank You that, although I do not fully understand why I am facing these hardships, I fully understand that You can be trusted, and that everything I encounter will be used for my good.”

You will be amazed at how your frame of mind will change simply by thanking God. He will honor you for your steadfast faith. The Holy Spirit will bring you comfort and encouragement, and you will feel a “second wind” to run the race and claim victory at the finish line.

--Bright, B.. His intimate presence.