Surviving the Hits You Never Saw Coming

Audio By Carbonatix

How come we are surprised when life gets hard, and we seem to be hit on all sides? In the last year, John and I have faced the death of my grandma, my in-laws’ health decline, struggling teens, personal health issues, family conflict, financial hits, and so much more. Just when it seems we have a chance to gain our footing, something else comes down the pipeline. 

Yet through it all, our trust in God is strong. There are some things we do not have answers to, yet we know God is with us. With heartache, we’ve found hope. With questions, we’ve discovered a deeper trust. We face the future with courage, not because we expect that everything will get better right away. We face the future with courage because we know Jesus is with us, and He will always be with us.

As I study the Gospels, I am constantly drawn to the practical reality of what the disciples experienced. Walking with Jesus was not a static journey. It was a dynamic training ground that shifted. Things grew more hostile as the timeline of redemption progressed. 

According to the Enduring Word commentary, “The disciples had been sent out to do ministry without Jesus before (Luke 10:1-17), but then they were received with goodwill and hospitality. Now they faced a hostile world without Jesus and must be prepared. From this, we can learn lessons on how to face hardships and hostilities in our own lives.

The Peaceful Training Ground

There was a beautiful season early in the disciples’ walk with Christ where Jesus called His followers to step out in absolute, unhindered dependence. He sent them out into the surrounding towns with a very specific set of instructions. We read in Luke 9:3 (NIV), “Take nothing for the journey, no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” 

The disciples’ job was to share the Good News … the Messiah has come! At the time, there was great interest. Rumors had spread about this not-so-ordinary man. The disciples were welcomed because the Israelites were curious and wanted to know more. There was no nightly news to tune in to. Instead, Jesus’ disciples carried the news from town to town.

Jesus was teaching them a vital lesson. He wanted them to learn that God would provide for their daily needs through the kindness and hospitality of the people they met. The environment was receptive. They were welcomed into homes, and they were part of incredible miracles.

The Coming Storm

However, as Jesus neared the end of His earthly ministry, the atmosphere surrounding His disciples grew incredibly dark. The religious leaders were plotting. The shadow of the cross was looming large. Jesus knew the world was about to violently reject Him, and He knew His followers would be caught in the crossfire.

In Luke 22:35-36 (NIV), Jesus brings up their earlier, peaceful mission. It’s looking back to the “good ole’ days,” and His purpose is to prepare them for the harsh reality ahead. 

“Then Jesus asked them, ‘When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’ 

‘Nothing,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'”

Yes, friends. Jesus told His disciples to go buy a sword.

This was a radical change in direction. Why the sudden need for a bag and a sword? Jesus explains the reason in the very next breath. In Luke 22:37 (NIV), He says, “It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

Jesus was marching straight into a spiritual war. He was about to be treated as a criminal. He was warning His dearest friends that the season of friendly reception was over. They were entering a time of intense hostility and persecution.

The Call for Deep Courage

The disciples were going to need profound bravery to face what was coming. Looking back, we can see how Jesus had been laying the foundation for this courage all along.

When they were terrified in a boat on a turbulent sea, Jesus came to them and anchored their bravery entirely in His identity. He commanded them in Matthew 14:27 (NIV), “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

When Jairus was standing in the agonizing grip of grief after being told his daughter was dead, Jesus required him to make a hard choice. In Mark 5:36 (NIV), Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Jesus knew the disciples’ hearts would be deeply troubled by His departure and the coming persecution. To equip them, He gave them a gift the world could not replicate. In John 14:27 (NIV), He promised, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

He did not promise them an easy road. He promised them guaranteed victory. He told them plainly in John 16:33 (NIV), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Ancient Roots of Bravery

This call to fearless obedience is woven throughout the entire history of God’s people. The men and women of the Old Testament faced impossible battles, but their courage was always rooted in the presence of the Almighty.

Moses encouraged a trembling nation in Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV), saying, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you: he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God spoke directly to Joshua as he prepared to lead the Israelites into hostile territory. We see this in Joshua 1:9 (NIV): “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

The prophet Isaiah brought words of profound comfort to a weary people in Isaiah 41:10 (NIV): “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

We also see the beautiful, fierce resolve of David in Psalm 27:14 (NIV), where he writes, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

When I read the story of Deborah, I am deeply moved by her bold faith. In the aftermath of a massive battle where God supernaturally delivered Israel, she sang out a rallying cry. Judges 5:21 (NIV) records her powerful declaration: “March on, my soul, with might!” Deborah understood that courage is an active decision to align your soul with God’s unstoppable will.

The Reality for Believers Today

Just as Jesus prepared His disciples for a massive shift, we must be prepared for the reality of our own walk with God today. We should never be surprised by hardship. The Bible tells us in John 10:10 that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. We have a real enemy who despises our faith.

Many believers around the world face severe physical persecution for speaking the name of Jesus. Even if we live in areas where physical persecution is less common, we will still face intense trials, health crises, fractured relationships, and spiritual attacks. The enemy of our souls wants to paralyze us with fear so we will stop advancing the Kingdom of God.

Putting on Our Armor

Because we are in a battle, we cannot walk out our front doors unprotected. We must practically prepare ourselves every single day by putting on the full armor of God, as outlined in Ephesians 6.

• The Belt of Truth: We must wrap ourselves in the truth of God’s Word. When the enemy whispers lies about our identity or God’s goodness, we fight back with what Scripture says is true.
• The Breastplate of Righteousness: We protect our hearts and our emotions by living in obedience to Christ. We rely on His righteousness to cover our vulnerabilities.
• The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: We need a firm footing. The peace of Christ gives us stability so we can stand strong when the trials try to knock us off balance.
• The Shield of Faith: We actively raise our faith to extinguish the flaming arrows of doubt, anxiety, and fear that the enemy fires our way. We choose to believe God over our circumstances.
• The Helmet of Salvation: We guard our minds. We must filter every thought through the reality that we are saved, redeemed, and secure in Christ.
• The Sword of the Spirit: This is the Word of God. It is our offensive weapon. Just as Jesus used Scripture to defeat the enemy in the wilderness, we must speak the Word aloud to push back the darkness.

Friends, the call to courage is not a call to be self-sufficient. It is a call to be entirely dependent on the God who has already overcome the world. When the trials come, and they will come, let us remember the words of Deborah. Let us put on our armor, look to our Savior, and say: March on, my soul, with might!

As we step into this reality, applying this truth requires intentionality. Instead of a long list of tasks, let us focus our hearts deeply on three core practices of courageous dependence.

1. The Practice of the Upward Gaze

Scripture Focus: “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3, CSB)

It is human nature to stare at the storm. When the medical reports are frightening, when our teenagers are struggling, or when financial hits keep coming, our eyes naturally lock onto the problem. The danger is that whatever has our sustained attention begins to dictate our emotional state. We find ourselves paralyzed by the “what ifs” because we are evaluating our circumstances through the lens of our own limited capabilities.

True courage requires a deliberate, physical, and spiritual shift of our gaze. David did not deny his fear in Psalm 56. He acknowledged it. Then he made a conscious decision to look away from his terror and look directly at his Father. 

Brave Step: This week, practice the upward gaze. When a fearful thought enters your mind, do not fight it with logic. Fight it by immediately stating a truth about who God is. We must train our souls to look to the hills from where our help comes (Psalm 121:1, NIV).

2. Releasing Our Grip on the Outcome

Scripture Focus: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

One of the sneakiest forms of self-reliance is trying to control the future. We often mask our fear with extreme planning, believing that if we can just manage every detail, we can keep our loved ones safe from heartache. Yet, clinging tightly to specific outcomes only breeds profound anxiety.

Dependence on God means opening our hands. It means praying fervently for our families, our health, and our ministries, and then trusting that God’s righteous right hand is infinitely more capable than our own two hands. 

When we open our hands in dependent prayer, God promises to strengthen and uphold us. He does not promise to answer things the way we want, as quickly as we want. Stepping bravely into tomorrow means surrendering our desire for a predictable narrative and trusting the Author of the story. 

Brave Step: This week, identify one area of your life where you are gripping the steering wheel too tightly, and actively surrender the results to Him.

3. Trading Our Defenses for His Armor

Scripture Focus: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, ESV)

When we feel hit on all sides, our natural instinct is to build a wall. We protect ourselves with isolation, cynicism, anger, or simply shutting down emotionally. These are human defenses, and they are entirely ineffective against a spiritual enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy.

Jesus did not tell His disciples to build a bunker. He prepared them for an active battle. Courage means stepping out from behind our self-made walls and choosing to put on God’s armor instead. It means wrapping ourselves in the Belt of Truth when lies feel loud. It means raising the Shield of Faith when doubt creeps in. We cannot fight spiritual battles with earthly coping mechanisms. 

Brave Step: This week, when you feel the urge to retreat or build a defensive wall, pause and ask the Holy Spirit to clothe you in His supernatural armor. Stand firm in the strength of His might, not your own.

Friends, we do not have to live in a state of shock when the next challenge comes down the pipeline. Instead, we can live in a state of preparation. When we feel overwhelmed by the needs of our multi-generational homes, the complexities of family conflict, or the sudden health crises that knock us off our feet, we know exactly what to do. We stop trying to find our footing in our own limited strength.

Our courage does not come from the expectation that the circumstances will magically get easier. Our courage is forged in the fire of knowing Jesus is standing right beside us in the trenches. He has given us His peace. He has provided our armor. He has already overcome the world. When the next storm hits, we can look directly to our Savior and boldly declare: March on, my soul, with might!

Closing Prayer

Lord, we come before You with weary but willing hearts. We acknowledge that the battles we face are real and the hits from all sides are heavy. We bring our grief, our aging loved ones, our precious teenagers, our physical health, and our daily needs directly to Your feet. When the storms rage, and the enemy tries to steal our peace, remind us that we do not fight alone.

Equip us with Your armor today. Wrap us in Your truth and secure our footing with Your peace. When we are tempted to build walls or retreat in fear, help us to fix our eyes entirely on You. Give us the supernatural strength to release our grip on the outcomes we desperately want so we can fully trust the Author of our story.

Thank You, Jesus, for never leaving us. Thank You for the guarantee of Your ultimate victory over this world. As we step into whatever tomorrow holds, let our spirits be anchored in the unfailing love of Christ. Give us the grace to stand firm, to look to our Savior, and to boldly declare: March on, my soul, with might!

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As we talk about putting on our armor and marching forward with courage, we must think about how we are actively equipping our minds for the days ahead. The apostle Paul tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2, NIV). A vital part of that renewal is the education and the environments we choose for ourselves and our families.

If you are looking for a way to pursue higher education that aligns with a steadfast faith, I encourage you to explore Colorado Christian University. Whether you are an adult stepping back into the classroom online or you are guiding your own teens toward their next steps, finding a school rooted in a biblical worldview is essential. Colorado Christian University trains students to succeed academically while teaching them to stand firm in the truth of Scripture.

$10,000 and $5,000 Grand Prize Scholarships

All other eligible entrants will receive a $1,000 scholarship just for entering.

Enter the Colorado Christian University Spring 2026 Scholarship Contest by June 12 for your chance to win a scholarship to complete your degree 100% online at Colorado Christian University. This contest is for new students only.

You can learn more about Colorado Christian University’s degree programs and take the next brave step in your educational journey by visiting my link here!

Let us intentionally equip our minds and our families to face the future with might!