This Hard Time Can Be a Holy Time - Encouragement for Today - August 6, 2026

August 6, 2026

This Hard Time Can Be a Holy Time 
Lysa TerKeurst

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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34, NIV).

It’s hard when a situation doesn’t look anything like we thought it would.

Especially if, like me, you like a plan. I like all involved to follow along with the plan. And I certainly don’t want any unexpected deviations from or disappointments with the plan at all, ever.

In reality, though, life is highly unpredictable. And I feel the most unsettled when I’m uncertain about the future.

Many of you are also probably facing circumstances that have left you feeling caught off guard and unsure about what tomorrow holds. So many times, I find myself bracing for impact when I check my daily news feed. If there’s one word that seems most certain to describe the times we are living in, it’s “uncertain.”

Maybe you’re in a job where you feel unsettled, and you think God is leading you somewhere else. But He hasn’t yet revealed what’s next. So for now, you walk into an office every day, giving it your all, but your heart feels disconnected and your real calling unfulfilled.

Or maybe you’ve been watching everyone else in your life find love. Then a few months ago, you met someone who was everything you’ve been hoping for. You told your friends this might be the one. But this week you felt that person pulling back. You feel panicked and confused. The more you press in, the more distance you feel between the two of you.

There are countless scenarios that evoke these feelings of uncertainty, fear, and exhaustion from life not being like you thought it would be. Maybe you’ve done everything in your power to stick to the plan, change your situation, or get to a better outcome. But in the end, you’ve probably come to the same realization as me: We still have to live through the realities of what’s happening right now. 

Sometimes we just have to walk in our “I don’t know” seasons with very little control over what’s happening. The Lord makes it clear in His Word that things will not always go as we wish they would in this life. Here are the verses we so often hear:

“In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33b, NIV).

“Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34b).

All this trouble is exhausting. Uncertainty is scary. And sometimes we can be desperate to make things easier.

We keep thinking that if we can just get through this circumstance, life will settle down, and finally the words “happily ever after” will scroll across the glorious scene of us skipping into the sunset. But what if life settling down and all our disappointments going away would be the worst thing that could happen to us? What if our “I don’t know” is helping us, not hurting us? 

Remember those verses we just read about troubles? Here they are again in the context of the full passages:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NIV).

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34).

The crucial detail for us to find peace amid everything we face is to stay close to the Lord. We think we want comfort in the uncertainty of life. But comfort isn’t a solution to seek; rather, it’s a by-product we’ll reap when we stay close to the Lord.

I wish I could promise you everything’s going to turn out like you’re hoping it will. I can’t, of course. But I can promise you this: God is close to us even in our “I don’t knows.” God has lessons for us that are crucially important for our future, and we’re learning them in the middle of our “I don’t knows.” God has a strength He must prepare us with, and the training ground is here in the “I don’t know.”

This time isn’t a waste when we are walking with God. Let’s cry out to Him, declaring that this hard time will be a holy time, a close-to-God time. And let’s choose to believe there is good happening, even in these places. We can rest in the knowledge that wherever God is, good is being worked.

Father God, more than I need You to fix anything in my life, I just need You. I am declaring this hard time a holy time. Help me live in such a way that this season is marked by closeness with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS
It’s not too late to take the weight of the world off your shoulders and hand over to the Lord what was always supposed to be His to carry. If you need help living this out, especially in the midst of your “I don’t know” season, Lysa TerKeurst wrote her new book, Making Peace with What I Can’t Control, just for you. Preorder your copy through Proverbs 31 Ministries today, and receive an exclusive bonus resource you can’t get anywhere else! 

ENGAGE
Find everyday encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram.

FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (NIV).

Are you walking through a difficult “I don’t know” season? From the verses Lysa shared today, which one gives you the most hope? Share your thoughts in the comments.

 © 2026 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

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