Don’t you sometimes wish you could solve all your problems with the push of a button? We’ve all been there. Your life problems may not be fun, but we can appreciate tough circumstances as they often help us build character and perseverance. Here are simple steps to respond to your difficulties in a biblical way:

Expand your perspective.

Consider what you can control, and what you cannot control. Take some time to process your thoughts and emotions. Acknowledging what you can and cannot control will help you to better describe and pray about your situation. Reflect on how others might see it to gain more perspective.

Not having full control over your life is sometimes a good thing. Being in need often keeps a person humble, and helps us realize our limitations.

During a chaotic or stressful time, consider how you can grow as a person and reflect on what lessons God wants to teach you in this specific season. Every situation is an opportunity for growth. Looking for patterns of behavior, thoughts, or circumstances will keep you aware of opportunities to learn. Recurring things often indicate a theme that God wants you to focus on. He is a patient and kind teacher. Ask God to increase your awareness and learn from him.

Many things in your life may be out of your control, but it is not out of God’s control. Worry usually manifests itself into bad decisions that only make the situation worse. Meditate on the word of God and his promises for inner peace during your storm.

Give your burdens to God.

Jesus offers us a win-win transaction. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

God already knows what’s on your heart before you speak, so you should be honest with him. Though he knows what is going on in your life, it takes your willingness to share and trust in him. Jesus modeled how to pray closely with the Father. Focus on who God is and how he has pulled through for his people and for you. God is much bigger than your problems.

If you struggle to put your difficulties into words, you can take comfort in knowing that “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8:26-27)

Trust God to take care of you.

We have limited foresight, but God sees all with ultimate wisdom and sovereignty. When we try to play God ourselves by attempting to control everything, it causes more suffering to our lives, because doing things outside of God’s ways is foolish and vain. He is able to handle things much better than we would. The ways that God worked, as recorded in the Bible, shows that his ways are not our ways – his methods even seem foolish to us sometimes! (Exodus 14:10-18)

God is worthy of our trust. He uses all things for the good of his people, including your mistakes and those with evil intentions.

Jesus did not leave us to figure it out all on our own. He has given us his word, examples, teachers, the Holy Spirit, and the church, as tools for navigating the treacherous and dark roads in life. Remember that Jesus too went through hardships and understands what you are going through.

When trusting God with your burdens and worries, you don’t need to dictate what exactly he needs to do or how he should fix your issues. Let him decide on what is good for you according to his will.

Stay present. Stay calm.

Your to-do list may be a mile long, but if you are not mentally present in your current moment, you will miss potential opportunities to enjoy life, build relationships, and learn valuable lessons.

Being mentally present will drastically reduce your anxiety and stress. That is why Jesus repeatedly tells us not to fear, and not to worry. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) This doesn’t mean ignoring your responsibilities of planning for the future. Thinking and planning ahead is good when done with the right attitude.

When you find yourself starting to worry, shift your focus to who God is, and combat those worries through prayer. Knowing God’s word will equip you with the truths that set you free. (John 8:31-32)

Focus on what you can control

You don’t know when your situation will change; it may take weeks or it may take years. Many things are outside of our control, but we can control our attitude. For the factors you can control, focus your time and energy towards those things – doing your best at whatever responsibilities you have instead of working with apathy.

When we work with excellence, we can take pride in our work whether it is cleaning the house, being a parent, or working as a manager. The key is to be diligent and responsible with what you are given in life.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Luke 16:10 NIV) When you demonstrate that you can be trusted with the little things in life – handling every situation with humbleness, integrity, and gratitude – God will assign you more responsibilities where you can have a larger impact on your community or the world. 

God has chosen to work with us. From our perspective, this is always an act of faith. When we don’t have a clear direction for our lives, we should simply do our best and continue living with the truths and commands in the Bible. God will intercede or redirect your paths if you continue seeking him. It is wise to be content with your lot in life; all you can do is your best while relying on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and power.