How are we to trust God when all hope seems lost? Serving in kids ministry — or any ministry for that matter — doesn’t make us immune to discouragement and hopelessness. Find encouragement today in Scripture.

Have you ever felt hopeless? I have. There have been times when I just didn’t think there was any way to get through a situation or receive a good answer. I’m not going to share with you that every time I’ve experienced hopelessness that I’ve received the answer I was looking for — but I do want to share with you a Scripture passage that has helped me along the way.

Read the Mark 4:21-43 and consider these two situations: the woman with her 12-year affliction, and Jarius, a synagogue ruler who was desperate for his daughter’s life. Here are four things we can learn from them about trusting God when all hope seems lost:

1. Go to Jesus. In both situations, the hopeless person (the afflicted woman and the synagogue leader) sought out and found Jesus. They went to Him

We can get advice, listen to opinions, even read up on the situation, but eventually, we have to go to Jesus. Why wouldn’t we think about that first? We must fall on our knees and make our requests made known to the One who loves us, cares for us, and knows our every need. Seek Him first.

2. Believe that God is at work. The faith of the woman amazes me. She understood that even if she only touched his robe, she would experience healing. Additionally, by all practical purposes, Jesus was too late to save Jarius’ daughter. Folks were even saying, “It’s too late!”

We must believe God is at work even when we can’t see what He is doing. Even when we feel as if He has moved on to other things … we must believe. It doesn’t matter what others say, it doesn’t matter what seems logical … we can know that God is at work. Even in the worst situations, we can know that God is in control.

3. Know that nothing gets in God’s way — not a crowd; not a bad report; and not even a laughing cynic will get in God’s way. It doesn’t matter how many people are pressing in around Him, or praying to Him, He knows and hears every individual as if they are the only person on earth. God is bigger than anything we face. He is bigger than illness; He is bigger than death (He conquered it). He hears our prayers and knows our needs as if ours were the only one.  Nothing gets in His way from hearing your heart.

4. Trust Jesus to meet your need. Not only was the woman healed and the girl brought back to life, Jesus was concerned about their spiritual and physical needs. He stopped and affirmed the woman’s faith. He made sure the girl was given food. Both had needs and Jesus met them. We can know that Jesus understands exactly what our need is and He comes just in time to meet every need.

God is good, all the time; even in hard times. In our hopelessness we can know that the God of hope has sent His Son, Jesus, the Hope of the world, to meet us, work in our situation (regardless of any hurdles we face) and will meet our needs in amazing ways. Maybe not the way we thought, but in the way that is best.

Since 2003 Bill Emeott has served as a Kids Ministry Specialist for Lifeway. His passions include childhood ministry leadership training and development, leading children’s Bible Study, and being an Uncle! Bill has been teaching children at First Baptist Nashville for ten years.