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1 Kings 19:4He [Elijah] sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

Job 30:20“I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer. I stand before you, but you don’t even look.”

Psalm 69:1-3Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me. I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me.

Lamentations 3:49-50My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.

Elijah, Job, David, and Jeremiah are some of the most famous heroes of the Old Testament, yet each of them experienced horrible griefs, frustrations, discouragements, and doubts. They felt hopeless, helpless, and worthless, and sometimes even questioned God’s care for them. Yet they valued their relationship with God too much to be dishonest with him or avoid him—they shared everything with him. That helped them cling to God even in their darkest times.

1 Kings 19:9-18The Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” . . . Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came . . . and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. . . . I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

Elijah felt alone in his service to God. He felt like his mission had been a failure. He was weary and wanted to give up. God didn’t rebuke Elijah. Instead, he listened to Elijah’s concerns, offered him hope and encouragement, and led Elijah to a new partner in ministry who would one day carry on his work.

Job 38:1-4Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.”

Job 40:1-2Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”

Job 42:1-6Then Job replied to the Lord: “. . . I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. . . . I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Job 42:12So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning.

The book of Job teaches a powerful lesson about God’s sovereignty. Job was the most righteous man in all the earth, yet he experienced terrible suffering—to the point where he was crying out to God, questioning his justice, and demanding answers. God did not provide Job with all the answers, but he changed Job’s perspective. How could Job know God’s grand plan? How could Job understand such power and wisdom? In the end, God not only restored Job’s fortunes, but he also used Job’s time of suffering to teach countless generations of believers. Our suffering, like Job’s, may not be fair. It may not make sense. But God can still work through it in ways we cannot imagine.

Jeremiah 29:10-11This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Ezra 1:1-5In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom: “. . . Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!” . . . Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.

The promise of Jeremiah 29:11 was given to the people of Judah at a time when hope was far away. Judah was about to fall to the Babylonians—the tragedy of war would destroy even God’s holy Temple. What is worse, the exile would last seventy years. Most of the people who received that promise wouldn’t see its fulfillment in their lifetime. Yet priests, Levites, and leaders remembered their faith and kept that hope alive for future generations, and when God fulfilled his promise, the people rose to the occasion. In our own lives, we may experience times of “exile,” and those times may be long and wearying. But just as God had a plan for the people of Judah, he has a plan for each of us, and in time that purpose will be revealed.

Psalm 57:2-3I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me.

David composed Psalm 57 while he was on the run from King Saul—an exile that likely lasted several years. In the midst of desperate and unjust circumstances, David’s response was endurance and hope. He trusted God to not only bring justice to Saul, but to fulfill his plans for David’s life.

Matthew 28:20“And be sure of this: I [Jesus] am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

When it seems everyone has abandoned us, God is beside us, ready to comfort and help us.

Jeremiah 1:5“I [the Lord] knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

When you feel hopeless, remind yourself that God has a purpose and a plan for you. It may not be the same plan you had. For instance, Jeremiah never expected to be a prophet, much less to suffer so thoroughly for his faithfulness. Yet God used Jeremiah in incredible ways that encourage believers even today—and he can use you, too, even if it feels like you have nothing you can give.

Deuteronomy 4:29“But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.”

James 4:8-10Come close to God, and God will come close to you. . . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

If you look for God, you will find him. He loves you and has a purpose for you.

Joshua 1:9“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 28:20“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

John 16:33“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Do you ever feel that life is a battle and that you are on the losing side? Life can be discouraging. When we are tired or when the obstacles seem overwhelming, it is easy to feel hopeless, helpless, or even worthless. The battle we are fighting isn’t one we win on our own strength—but it is a battle we will win. No matter how bruised, battered, and broken we may feel, God is always walking beside us, there to lift us when we fall. The journey will not be easy, but our victory is assured.