When Things Get Hard
(and you don’t know if God is listening)

There are times in life that, well, just suck.

People get hurt. People pass away. Stress takes over. Kids get sick. Your heart gets broken. Things just don’t go like you want.

It’s hard.

Y’all it is really, really hard.

When you have this goal…this dream…this hope in your heart and on your mind and then it just falls apart right in front of your eyes, it’s very easy to question where the good in the world is. Sometimes life is just so hard. You have things you want to do. Places you want to see; things you want to accomplish and some days, it feels like God is just saying, “Nope.”

I’ve been on the end of that no so many times before.

When I begged and pleaded with God to let my Grandmother wake up from her coma…I knew in my heart that He would, because he’s God. He can do that. My heart was breaking, so it wouldn’t be a big deal. When she did pass and a mere 9 days later my other grandmother was laid in the hospital dying, I remember thinking, “okay God…you took one, surely you aren’t going to take another.”

But he did.

When I’ve seen people die way to young…

When I’ve watched friends lose siblings, parents, spouses and children…

When I’ve watched friends hearts break over losing the very thing that they wanted the most in life…

When I see my own children ache to accomplish things and fall short…

When my own dreams and hopes come crashing down around me…

It’s very easy to question God’s goodness.

On those days, it’s just hard. Sometimes downright impossible, to believe that there are things better than that thing that we wanted so desperately. It’s really hard to trust that God is going to be the good guy and make it all work out. Sometimes, often times, our human nature prevents us from remembering that God knows better than we do. That God has a plan that supersedes anything we might have in mind.

The only thing that gets me through those bad days…weeks…months…years…is remembering that at some point, some day, eventually, things will look up.

Noah witnessed the torrential rain for 40 days and 40 nights before that storm stopped. Sarah waited forever for the birth of the promised son Isaac; despite the Lord himself telling Abraham that she would have a baby. Moses wandered the dessert for 40 years. Jesus was tempted and tested for 40 days. The Bible is full of those who wait. It’s also full of those who felt like they never got what they wanted or were entitled to.

It’s imperative to keep in mind that God has our best interest at heart. Even when we don’t think he does.

Why would God let me hurt like this? Haven’t I been through enough? Why can’t I just be happy? Why does this have to be so hard? Why do I feel like it will never get better?

God sees.

He hears.

And he’s there to be your refuge even among whatever you’re going through right now.