Trusting in tough times

The question was posed over at 10,000 Words about how can we resolve to trust God when times are tough.
I think I know something about this subject.

Times have been tough for a while now. There have been some good times but the hard times seem to be always lurking. It's easy to point the finger at God and say `you did this'. It's so easy I reckon I could confidently say we've all done it at some point. It's at the heart of the question most non-Christians, and some believers at times, can't help but ask - why would God allow bad things to happen?
I did my share of finger pointing a while back but at the end of the day God didn't cause my problems. In every way though he offers solutions. They aren't always easy to see though.

1Peter4 says `do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ'.

Most of the time I'm in pretty heavy denial about the trials I have faced lately. I won't always admit that but it's all too true. I guess that hasn't made it easy to overcome them. But if I don't trust that God is working in my life then what point is there? That's the way I see it. Giving up is not an option. It's tempting but if the alternative to fighting is losing then you have to fight.
That's way easier said than done though, and don't let anyone try to tell you it's easy.

Trusting God isn't as easy as trusting a person, I think. You can tell, eventually, if a person isn't trustworthy. God is there for the long haul and is ultimately working for your good so I have to have a bigger picture view of God as opposed to a friend. God gives you strength beyond what you believe capable, and he has shown me some amazing things during my times of trial. Things that you could put down to coincindence I guess but that were certainly not chance events, in my view.

I like reading James when times are tough. I don't always turn to it like I should.
James 1:2-6a`Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverence. Perseverence must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks he must believe and not doubt...'

I don't claim to have all the answers. I don't even claim that I seek God's help first. I wish I was that disciplined. But I am human and am flawed. There are a few songs I like to play to remind me about God's grace and how we should depend on him at these times. Songs like My Saving Grace and Hero by Mariah Carey, Chris Tomlin's Indescribable, Made Me Glad by Hillsong (you are my strength, my shield, my portion, deliverer etc), and several Jeremy Camp songs In Your Presence, Nothing Else I Need and a couple of his recent ones Beyond Measure and When You Are Near. A couple of Delta Goodrem's songs, Be Strong and Electric Storm and Shannon Noll's Lift, Savage Garden's Crash And Burn also have that effect even though they aren't Christian artists.
If you just trust God when times get tough though you're only giving him half your heart. God wants to rejoice with us in good times as well.