HEY MIKE! Ever since my parents got a divorce, my life has been falling apart. I’m a Christian, but I’m not close to anyone in youth group—even God feels distant. My mom and I have had to move around a lot, living with different relatives—trying to make ends meet. We recently left the East Coast for a fresh start out West. But everything is different here, and I’m struggling in school. To make matters worse, my mom has sent me to a therapist. Here’s my question: Can God give me hope through all this? Can He help me in a practical way? Can He assure me that things are going to get better?
—Name Withheld
My parents divorced when I was a boy, and I, too, had to deal with some of the same issues: school struggles, emotional scars, tough times at home.
Yet when I committed my life to Jesus as a young man, I learned a core truth that I still cling to: When the foundations of my world begin to crack, I find myself at the end of my strength—and at the beginning of God’s.
So, to answer your questions, yes . . .
. . . Jesus can help you in a practical way.
. . . Jesus can assure you that things will get better.
. . . Jesus can give you hope.
It may not happen overnight. (It didn’t for me.) But if you reach out to Christ in prayer, He’ll most definitely reach back to you.
Here’s what I want you to do: Sometime soon, find a quiet place and have a heart-to-heart talk with Jesus. Don’t be afraid to unload everything you feel inside. It’s OK to express your anger and your doubts. It’s even OK to tell God that you feel abandoned by Him. The Lord wants you to approach Him with an honest heart. (Trust me, He can handle anything you share.)
As you pray, hold on to these three truths:
God wants to pick up the pieces of your broken life and restore hope and healing. Like me, you can become a “survivor-turned-conqueror!”
The Lord wants what’s good for you—even when you can’t sense it. During your darkest moments, know that Jesus is walking with you and that nothing can separate you from His love. The only way you may be able to endure your circumstances right now is to grasp this truth—and to remind yourself of it a hundred times a day.
God is still in control: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1-3).
Finally, I’m glad you’re getting help from a professional counselor. I also hope you’re talking things out with your mom. Painfully honest communication is one of the keys to handling your circumstances.
When I was your age, there were no secrets between my mom and me—everything was out in the open. I could look her in the eye and ask any question on my heart. And as we faced our struggles together, hope gradually began to drive away our pain. 
