When Problems Disrupt Our Lives
Sometimes as Christians, we fall into the trap of thinking that nothing bad will happen to us. We are content to live our lives and serve God as long as He keeps His end of the deal. As long as He provides for us, keeps us comfortable, and doesn’t ask too much of us, we are happy to live our lives serving Him.
But then, like a cannonball, a problem or difficult situation slams into our lives, causing huge waves and ripple effects. We look around in surprise. How could God allow this to happen? Doesn’t He love me? Where is God?
We begin to doubt God’s goodness and question His ways. Fear takes hold of us. We wonder- if God allowed this to happen, what else might he allow to happen? If we’re not careful, we let that fear control our lives.
Everyone Has Problems
We all have problems come into our lives. No one is immune. I think Henry Wadsworth Longfellow got it right when he said, “Thy fate is the common fate of all; into each life some rain must fall.”
It comes down to this- how are we going to handle these problems? God never promised us pain-free lives; He promised that He would give us grace to get through our problems.
Excerpt from The Hidden Pain
God has taken my family and I through some problems over the last several years. Some of them were minor and slightly uncomfortable. Others were so huge, I didn’t think my faith would make it through intact.
The following is an excerpt from my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life.
I look back on some of the really dark moments of these past several years and feel like I’ve come out on the other side. I felt as if I’d lost my faith, but I discovered that it’s been there all along. It’s a small whisper of a beat, a thread. It’s almost inaudible, almost severed, but it’s still there. It still exists because God still exists, and He never left me. He’s been there all along. Yes, He allowed me to go through a difficult season to figure out if I really trust Him and see if my faith is really strong enough. I had to be brought to the end of myself to find what’s been there all along – God and the people around me.
When our plans fall apart, our dreams die, and life hits us out of nowhere and knocks our feet out from under us, the first thing we do is call out to God to take it away. It’s just too much. We can’t handle the pressure, the heartbreak, the feelings of betrayal, the hurt, the stress, and on and on it goes. I’ve gone through this, and I have seen countless numbers of people go through this. We just want God to take it away. But more often than not, God doesn’t. He doesn’t remove the pain or the problem. Instead, He offers his grace to get through it.
The apostle Paul had a problem – a “thorn in the flesh” as he called it. He asked God to take it away several times, but God didn’t. God’s response to Paul is in II Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
God doesn’t promise to take our problems away. He says that His grace will be enough and His strength will be made perfect through our weakness. Somehow that’s enough. It doesn’t feel like it’s enough when we are in the moment, but if we can stay faithful and trust God, He will get us through. Someday – maybe not today, maybe not a month from now or even a year from now, but someday, you will look back and see that God knew what He was doing all along. He was forming a new you, a better you.
From The Hidden Pain
If you are interested in The Hidden Pain, you can try a sample. Just click below to get the first chapter for free.
God’s Grace to Get Through
When you feel so alone and feel like no one understands, remember to look up. One of the songs Matt and I have been listening to lately that has been an encouragement is No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus by Steffany Gretzinger. I think you will find it an encouragement to your heart.
Sometimes we need to be reminded that yes, problems will come into our lives. But God loves you more than you can possibly know. He will help you get through this. You will come out on the other side. Your faith will grow strong again. God is creating a new you, a stronger you.