The past month I have been learning that it isn't always sunshine and roses for God's people. I've talked about what it says in James before: 

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have it's perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-3

I have said that we should embrace trials, because we come out stronger in the end. That we should actually be joyful in the trials. But lately I have not been feeling joyful in this trial. I've been feeling scared, angry, confused, discouraged... Definitely not joyful in any way. Not that we should be like, "Yes! Trials! I love trials! How many more bad things will happen? This is so fun!" I don't think that's what James meant by "consider it all joy." I think he meant something more along the lines of, "Don't despair over this. Be encouraged. Remember that the testing of your faith produces endurance. You'll be stronger when this is over. Rejoice over that."

I sort of knew that bad things still happen to God's people sometimes, but never really thought that they would happen to us. But look at Job. He lost his children, his livestock, everything... And it was all a test. In the end, God granted Job with more than he had to start. God never let Job go. He was with him the entire time, even if it seemed like he was no where near and didn't care.

It's the same with us. We may be going through hard times, but God will never let go of you. He'll be right next to you the entire time.

I once read a little story about this man who had a dream. In the dream he saw different scenes from hi life. He noticed that in each scene where things were going well there were two sets of footprints, but during the hard times in his life there was only one set. He felt troubled and said to God, "Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You, You'd walk with me all the way. I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me."
The Lord replied, "My son, my precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Just a simple story with an unknown author, but when I read it it really impacted me. I thought about it again when we started going through this hard time. It really does feel, at times, like God is so far away. Like when you are in a dream and your falling and it seems like you have been falling forever... But I know that God is with us always, even if it doesn't feel like it. He said so himself: "I will never leave you nor forsake you..."

During the difficult times, remember that. Remember that He is helping you through whatever you are going through. Don't give up.