I've always been partial to the account of Joseph, and that of Job, when going through difficult times. The biggest comfort to me is just remembering God's providence in all thing. I will read also from James.
Quote:
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
- James 4:13-17 (ESV)
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But I don't think of things in a stoic manner either. I'll read various Psalms in a manner of venting to God my concerns and displeasures about myself in the trials, and about the trials themselves. And as the Psalms usually end with reflection to God's accomplishments, it's hard to forget His accomplishment of my salvation. So there is always a hopeful outlook.
Quote:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
- Romans 8:18-25
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