Faith in Hard Times

When I Am Weak, He Is Strong

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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My Daily Musings-October 13th, 2026

“Strong? No, my friend, I am far from it. What you’re seeing is simply a weak person with a very strong God.”

Some days, I feel very weak when my health isn’t good and I have a hard time doing normal daily tasks. On those days, it’s hard to get out of bed because I can imagine how difficult the day might be. But I get out of bed anyway because I know I won’t be alone. Getting on my knees in prayer to my Heavenly Father is the only way I get through days like that. I have learned over the last few years to reach out to Him when I’m having a hard day. He is always there for me, and He doesn’t ever want me to feel alone.

This quote really resonated with me because, especially on my hardest days, I can feel my Heavenly Father’s arms around me to help me carry my burdens. He is my strong Father who can help me through anything I have to endure in this life. I agree that I am weak, but my Heavenly Father is strong. He helps me feel strong, especially on my more difficult days. I can picture Him right behind me when I feel like I don’t have any strength to stand. He is right beside me to help carry my heavy burdens. Yes, I still have days when I feel alone and discouraged. Then I just reach out to my Heavenly Father for help, and He is there whenever I need Him. He will be there for you as well.

When have you felt weak but found strength through your relationship with God? What helps you remember that God is with you when you’re facing difficult days?

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The Anchor of My Hope

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My Daily Musings-September 24th, 2026

“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.” – C.S. Lewis

Sometimes I wonder why I have to go through so many hard trials at once. The hardest one is dealing with chronic illness symptoms every day. I don’t know how I am going to feel every day, or sometimes every hour or every minute. Sometimes my body doesn’t allow me to do what I need or want to do. That makes it hard to plan my days and weeks. Sometimes I have to cancel plans because of my health. That can be frustrating.

I know that our Heavenly Father lets us experience these hard times so that we can learn lessons we could learn in no other way. But some days it is hard to keep a positive perspective on my trials. But I know that I am never alone. Even on discouraging days when the clouds seem to roll in and I don’t know if I will ever see the sun again, there is hope. That hope comes from knowing I don’t have to go through my trials alone.

Prayer has been the anchor of my hope the last few years of living with my chronic illness symptoms. When I pray, I can feel my Heavenly Father’s love and I can feel that He is there for me whenever I need Him. I think I have grown closer to my Heavenly Father over the last few years because of my trials. So that’s a good lesson I have learned that I probably could not have learned in any other way. As long as I keep turning to my Heavenly Father and not away from Him, I think I’m doing okay.

Have you ever learned an important lesson through a difficult trial that you don’t think you could have learned any other way? How has prayer helped you hold on to hope during a difficult time?

Okay No Matter What

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My Daily Musings-August 30th, 2026

“Staying positive does not mean that things will turn out okay. Rather, is is knowing that you will be okay no matter how things turn out.”

I try to stay positive even though the weight of my burdens sometimes seems very heavy on my shoulders. Living with many symptoms of chronic illness every day makes my life hard. But I hold to the truth that there is always something to be grateful for, no matter my circumstances. I do have moments when I get discouraged and I feel alone at times. But I try not to let those feelings rule my life.

So I like what this quote is saying, that even when I have a hard day because of my health, I will be okay. On those harder days, it is difficult to stay positive. But I cling to the truth that I am not alone in my struggles. There is always hope for tomorrow because of my Savior, Jesus Christ. No matter how bleak my outlook is on a given day, the sun will always come up tomorrow and there is always hope for a better day ahead.

After reading the story of Job in the Old Testament recently, my struggles didn’t seem so huge. I know that I will occasionally have days when I get discouraged, but I know that I will be okay no matter how things turn out.

What helps you stay positive when life feels difficult? How does your faith help you face uncertain circumstances?

When We Cannot See the Harvest

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My Daily Musings-August 26th, 2026

Psalm 126:5-6

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

When I read these verses recently, I pondered the meaning. I asked myself, “How can tears and joy exist in the same sentence?” I researched the meaning more. It is true that we all have moments of sorrow when we can’t imagine seeing any light or joy in the future. There are times when our trials break our hearts and we feel darkness slowly begin to creep into our hearts and minds.

But I think what these verses are trying to tell us is that even during moments of sorrow and tears, our faith is being strengthened. A farmer doesn’t expect to plant a seed and then the next day wake up and harvest what was planted. We will probably have moments of sorrow in this life. But we should trust that our Heavenly Father is working beneath the surface, nurturing the seeds of faith we have planted, so that we can harvest the crop together one day.

One of the hardest trials I had to go through was finding out that my paternal grandparents both died the same day in a single car accident. I cried and was depressed for a long time after that. It was hard to heal from that experience because they were both gone in an instant. But it eventually got easier. I could feel my Heavenly Father near me during that time. He was working beneath the surface so that I could feel joy after the sorrow. As these verses teach us, we can still move forward and carry the seed of our faith, even when we are hurting.

What helps you keep planting seeds of faith when you’re going through a difficult season? Have you ever looked back on a painful experience and realized that Heavenly Father was working beneath the surface, even when you couldn’t see it at the time?

Other Refuge Have I None

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Melodies & Musings

Another one of my favorite hymns is Jesus, Lover of My Soul. I have always loved the music to this hymn, but the words are especially powerful. I love the words to the second verse:

Other refuge have I none;

Hangs my helpless soul on thee.

Leave, oh, leave me not alone;

Still support and comfort me.

All my trust on thee is stayed;

All my help from thee I bring.

Cover my defenseless head

With the shadow of thy wing.

What makes these words so powerful is that it sounds like a prayer to Jesus, telling Him first that we don’t have anyone else who is our refuge. Our souls would be helpless without Jesus and His Atonement. But we do have Jesus, so our souls are never helpless. Because of Him, we can repent and become better. That’s such a sweet and amazing testimony to all of us. For me, Jesus has been my refuge many times in my life, but especially these last few years living with chronic illness symptoms. I can always turn to Him and He will be there for me.

Then, we plead for Him to never leave us, and we put all of our trust in Him, that He will “abide” with us and never leave us alone. There’s my word of the year again, “Abide”. As soon as we reach out to Him, He will be there for us. He is ready to be there at a moment’s notice because He loves us so much.

I got really excited when I found that one of the scriptures that inspired this hymn was Psalm 62:6-7, which reads:

6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

The book of Psalms has been one of my favorite books of scripture for a long time, probably because it sounds like music and I love music! From these verses, Jesus is our rock, our salvation, our defence, and our refuge.

What does it mean to you to know that Jesus can be your refuge? When have you felt Jesus supporting and comforting you during a difficult time?

Watch the short video of me singing the second verse of this hymn here:https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TVdJK2A-s4Q