Why? Why? Why?

 

A few years back, I wrote an article entitled, “What do you do when you feel like God has let you down?”.

At the time, we were in the throes of financial difficulty due to the Covid pandemic. We had huge decisions to make but although we were trusting God and doing our best to obey him, we sometimes felt like God had let us down.

We were doing what we felt was right, we were faithful in our service to him, we were seeking his face daily and yet, despite our best efforts, we just didn’t seem to receive the answers we sought and the outcomes we longed for.

To add to that, our oldest daughter had recently battled through cancer and was living with the aftereffects and problems arising from the surgery and treatment.

We often felt as if God had forgotten all about us and had let us down.

Do you ever find yourself feeling like this? Do you ever have moments where not only does life just not make sense, but you feel as if God has let you down and turned a blind eye to your troubles?

We’ve all been there.

Can I just say, before I go on, that just because it feels like God has let you down, doesn’t mean he has. It only feels like it. And we should always remember that feelings are not the best thing to go by. They are not very reliable being so apt to change at a moments notice.

The question that repeatedly rolls off our tongues during these times, is “why”?

Why? Why? Why?

We want logical answers to our questions. We want life to make sense. We don’t like to live with the unknown.

But is why really the best question to be asking? Would it be wiser to be asking how?

How can I trust God more so I can ask why less?

Although we don’t often understand the ‘why’s’ of life, we do know the ‘Who’.

We know Who it is that holds us in his hand. We do know Who it is that has 20/20 vision and knows what is best for us in every walk of life.

I want to encourage you that although the way may seem dark and the path hard to follow and although it is full of obstacles that don’t seem to belong there, God is still working. He is still good, and he still keeps his promises.

Asking God to help you to trust him more is a question that he is happy to listen to and answer. Ask him to show you how you can trust him. Ask him to reveal his character to you so that you have no doubt in his ability to get you through.

A favourite quote of mine has always been this:

“When you can’t trace his hand, trust his heart.”

It so perfectly reveals the solution to our problems. We can trust God’s heart. We can trust who God is and his perfect, holy, righteous character, is always working for our good as we love and obey him. So, when we can’t see what he’s doing in our lives, and it feels as though he’s let us down, and life no longer makes sense, we can still trust his heart.

One author said something that really struck home with me, and we would do well to remember it.

“Trusting is often harder than obeying. With obeying, we have had the boundaries of obedience explained to us, but trusting God has no explained boundaries – we are always dealing with the unknown.”

It is so true. We don’t know what trials lie ahead or how long they will last or even how frequent they will be, but we still have to trust. Blindly, willingly, faithfully. We are always dealing with the unknown, because we are not God, and we don’t know what the future holds. And because of the fear of the unknown, trusting is often harder.

There have been many times over the years that I’ve felt like God had let me down. But praise God, he has given us his infallible Word that is a continual comfort to our souls, and during my darkest days it was his Word that held me up.

When the government stepped in, and our business was taken away….

Psalm 118:6 - The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

When I became worried about losing material possessions…

Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

When my anxiety and fear threatened to overwhelm me…

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

When my thoughts began to control me…

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

When my patience was wearing thin, and waiting was hard…

Psalm 27:14 - Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

We often struggle to make sense of the pain we are walking through, and we feel deserted and let down. Abandoned and alone. But God is still at work.

So, what do we do when fear grips our heart and the walls close in?

When I wrote my previous article, I had just listened to a sermon that really helped me gain perspective and also laid out some practical tips for me to follow.

Let me share them with you and I pray that they will be a help to you too.

What do you do when you feel God has let you down?

1.        HOLD UP – Stop. Take a deep breath. Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t start doubting God and don’t try to work out the end of the story, when you don’t hold the pen. Remind yourself that it doesn’t end here. God is still working. Hold up!

 

2.        SPEAK UP – Take a moment to speak up. Speak to the Lord. Be honest with him about how you feel. Pour your heart out to him and let him hear from your lips, just what it is you are dealing with and how you feel let down. Let the tears flow. He holds them all and your tears won’t scare him away. He understands. Open your mouth, speak up and pray to him. Speak up!

 

3.        KEEP IT UP – Keep going. Keep trusting. Keep obeying. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. You may feel let down, but don’t let it cause you to give up on God. Hold onto his promises and remember that he loves you and cares for you more than you will ever know. No matter how hard it is to go on, just keep putting one foot in front of the other, trusting God to show you the way. And when you’re not sure, step out in faith, expecting there to be something solid there underneath. Keep it up!

 

4.        LOOK UP – Look up to God. Don’t doubt. Keep looking up. God is up to something good. God promises good to his children. But remember that his definition of good is different to yours. Keep your eyes on God. When everything is crumbling around you, keep your focus on him and he will keep you safe. He will provide. He will protect. Look up!

HOLD UP. SPEAK UP. KEEP IT UP. LOOK UP.

I was so encouraged by these thoughts but also convicted that I needed to work harder at trusting, even when it felt like God had let me down.

God does choose to ‘let us down’ at times, but it is for our own good. He puts us through certain trials to test our faith and work growth in our lives. God knows exactly what we need to go through in order to mold us and make us more like him.

We are in a continual process of sanctification as believers, and we have to resist the urge to fight against it and let God do his work.

As I write this article, in this very moment, my daughter is once again going through another battle with cancer and I can tell you right now, that it doesn’t make sense.

I find myself asking ‘why’ often.

I don’t understand it. It feels like God has let her down. It doesn’t seem to be fair that she has to go through this again.

Why can’t I take her pain? Why does she have to suffer?

But I am trusting that God will hold her up and give her the strength and courage to weather the storm. I know he walks beside her.

Psalm 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I know that the single set of footprints in the sand are the moments he is carrying her. They are not evidence of being abandoned.

What God has taught me about his goodness in the light, in the good times, in the seasons of blessing, still hold true in the darkness.

I don’t need to doubt in the dark, what I KNOW in the light!

When things are going well and I know without a shadow of a doubt, that God is good and he loves me, I can remind myself of this when the lights go out and I find myself fumbling in the dark.

God is still God, and he hasn’t changed. What you know about him in the light, is still true about him in the dark.

If you’re feeling let down by God, Stop!

Hold up. Speak up. Keep it up. Look up.

Take a few deep breaths, pour your heart out to him, keep trusting and keep your eyes focused on him. He will bring you through.

Isaiah 43:2 - When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 26:3 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

 

All the way my Savior leads me;
  What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
  Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
  Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
  Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate’er befall me,
  Jesus doeth all things well.

 

All the way my Savior leads me,
  Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
  Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
  And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
  Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
  Lo! a spring of joy I see.

 

All the way my Saviour leads me;
  Oh, the fullness of His grace!
Perfect rest to me is promised
  In my Father’s blest embrace.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
  Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
  Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
  Jesus led me all the way.