How to Respond Biblically to Challenges | Series: How to Trust God in Seasons of Waiting (Day 3)

Is there any among us who can truly say that they have never had to deal with any sort of challenge in their entire life? I think not.

Why? Because challenges, like it or not, are not optional in life. They will come—unexpected, uncomfortable, and sometimes overwhelming.

But as believers, the question is not, “Will I face challenges?” The question is, “How will I respond when they come?” Because our response will determine whether we grow or get stuck.

Romans 8:28 (KJV) says: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…”

Not some things. Not easy things. All things. That includes the delay. The disappointment. The closed door.

But here’s the key: this Scripture is not telling us everything feels good. Rather, it’s telling us everything is working for good.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (KJV) says: “…though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day… while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen…”

So a biblical response begins with perspective. We don’t just look at what is happening; we look at what God is doing behind what is happening.

So how do we respond biblically?

We respond with faith—not fear. Psalm 56:3 (KJV): “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

David did not say he never felt afraid. He said when fear comes, he chooses trust. And that’s practical. But we don’t get that right most of the time. Because fear seems like the natural instinct and it takes work, intentionality, discipline, for us to stop in the middle of a situation and choose not to be fearful, but to trust God instead.

The reality is: fear may show up, but we can decide that fear does not get to lead.

Let’s imagine this real-life example: Someone gets some bad news. The first reaction might be panic. But a biblical response says: “God, I don’t understand this, but I trust You.”

So this person chooses to respond with the Word, not his or her emotions

Matthew 4:4 (KJV): “It is written…”. Remember that?

When Jesus was tempted, He didn’t argue with feelings or the tempter. He responded with Scripture.

Let’s look at this Biblical example: When the enemy came against Jesus, He answered every challenge with, “It is written.” That means our response is not: “I feel like this is not working.” Our response becomes: “God said…”.

So we respond biblically with faith, scripture, and with surrender—not control.

Proverbs 16:3 (KJV): “Commit thy works unto the LORD…”

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV): “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

A biblical response releases what we cannot control.

We also respond with endurance, not quitting.

James 1:2–3 (KJV): “Count it all joy… knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Joy here doesn’t mean we’re happy about the situation. It means we understand what it is producing.

In the Bible, Joseph was betrayed, sold, and imprisoned. But he did not quit. And in the end, what looked like destruction was actually divine positioning.

Finally, how do we respond biblically to challenges? We respond with focus, not distraction

Hebrews 12:2 (KJV): “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…”

I am sure we each can testify: Challenges will try to pull our focus to the problem. But we have to stay focused on a biblical response that keeps our eyes focused on God.

What are we saying here today?

A biblical response is not reacting to how we feel. It is responding based on what God said. So guess what? We have to know The Word, right?!

Because here’s the truth: We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. I had to learn that the hard way, and I delight in emphasising that to as many who would listen.

I have learnt that my response determines my outcome.

So when life gets hard, we trust instead of fear. We speak the Word instead of our emotions. We release control instead of forcing outcomes. We endure instead of quitting. We focus on God instead of the problem.

And when we do that, something shifts. Not always immediately around you, but definitely within you.

The key takeaways from today’s devotional, I think: Pause before reacting. Ask yourself: “What does the Word say about this?” Then respond from that place.

Because when our response is biblical, our life becomes stable, even in unstable situations. 

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