Do you struggle to see God’s mercy when it doesn’t make sense?
I do. There are so many situations when life just doesn’t make sense and our efforts are leading nowhere.
Here is a sneak peek of my guest post at Medium.com for Koinonia in which I share how to see and trust God’s mercy in unwanted circumstances.
Seeing God’s Mercy When It Doesn’t Make Sense
Perhaps you struggle with regrets and thoughts like, “I had the opportunity to get something I really wanted, but I wasted it?”
Perhaps you consider your life to be nowhere you thought you would end up, and this brings frustration and disappointment. I get it.
It is very frustrating to play by the rules, to do all the right things, to follow the Lord faithfully, and to end up in a hard place far away from everything you dreamed of.
Do you struggle to see God's mercy when it doesn't make sense? #encouragement #inspirational #spiritualgrowth Share on XRemember to pin me for later!
It Depends on God’s Mercy Not on Our Efforts
For me, such a place was finding myself still childless after years of fervent prayers, doctor’s appointments, painful medical procedures, and crippling anxiety.
I felt I had failed, and that God failed me, too.
Was this really so? My feelings reflected my painful reality, but they didn’t accurately reflect the truth about me as a limited human being and the truth about God, His sovereignty, and His love for me.
God gently led me out of my anger and disappointment by highlighting a powerful and liberating truth in this verse:
Focused solely on my efforts and the overwhelming desire to become a mother, I somehow believed the lie that I could control the world and guarantee the fulfillment of my desires.
Read the rest of the post at Medium.com to learn why God’s way is always the best for us and how God’s mercy changes us.
NEW BOOK for All Who Go Through Painful Experiences
Do you want to draw near to God when you are tempted to pull away amidst painful and traumatic experiences? Do you long for the transformation of your painful story into a story of preparation, empowerment, fruitfulness, and growth?
My new book “DRAW NEAR: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings” takes you on a journey through 13 painful experiences, showing the precious blessings in each of them.
A Helpful Resource to Process Our Feelings in Unwanted Circumstances
When life doesn’t make sense, we often struggle with anger and disappointment. Do you want to change and transform the way you think about your disappointments? This e-book “How to Overcome Disappointment and Discouragement” dives deeper into this topic. You will learn about the role of our expectations, desires, rights, and needs, as well as the role of false beliefs, and more biblical steps to deal with anger and disappointments. Click here to get it into your email box today!
More Encouragement for You
If you need more resources, encouragement, and comfort when you deal with unwanted and painful circumstances, I can highly recommend these books. Check them out.
Uprooting Anger by Robert D. Jones
Trusting God in All the Things: 90 Devotions for Finding Peace in Your Every Day by Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk
Make Up Your Mind: Unlock Your Thoughts, Transform Your Life by Denise Dubois Pass and Michelle Nietert
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Life Can Be Good Again by Lisa Appelo
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa Terkeurst
Hope When Life Unravels: Finding God When It Hurts by Adam Dooley
Restoration Year – a 365 Days Devotional by John Eldredge
All Things New by John Eldredge
This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!
Your Turn
Are you in a situation right now when life doesn’t make sense? Share in the comments and on social media if you found this article helpful. Thank you!
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This is such an encouraging post, Hadassah! We were just talking about this subject in my small group at Bible study last night, how God’s mercy transforms our disappointed hearts and desires, and we can find joy again even when the answers to our prayers are different from what we hoped for. I’m so grateful that He does the work of transforming us when we surrender our control and trust in His goodness!
Thanks so much, Renee! Yes, God really transforms and heals our hearts when we submit to Him. Blessings to you!
Thank you for this beautiful message.
Thanks, Brianna! I am happy it encouraged you! Blessings!
Thank you for the beautiful message of seeing God’s mercy when it doesn’t make sense. I understand the feelings of hurt and sadness when life doesn’t seem to be heading down the right road – or at least the one I planned.
Thanks, Debbie! Yes, everybody has experienced these moments when everything seemed to go wrong. But God is always present and directing our lives in the right direction.
It’s so true that I often try to take things in my own hands instead of trusting God to work. Patience isn’t one of my strengths. Over and over, God has been faithful, but I often don’t see it when I’m in the middle of a situation. Thank you for the gentle reminder that God is always there and has a plan.
Thanks, Lisa! I am also learning patience and long-suffering along the way! So glad the post encouraged you. Blessings!
I spent years being angry with God when I didn’t understand what he was doing. I wish I’d known then what I know now. I pray your words make it to multitudes of hearts who need to hear them!!! Thank you, Hadassah!
Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging words, my friend! This is my prayer, too!
What a beautiful reflection, Hadassah! So many of us struggle with infertility and child loss/miscarriage and yet it’s not something we talk about very much… I hope that God has brought healing on your journey. I like how you connect this frustration, disappointment, struggling to see God’s mercy with the desire to control the outcome. How true! I’m going to carry that insight with me.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Rebecca! Yes, these are difficult and painful topics to discuss. But I am not afraid to share my story and how God brought healing and restoration. I am happy the post encouraged and inspired you. Blessings!