God Meets Us Where We Are — Even in the Toughest Messes of Life

We all go through difficult seasons, but that does not mean God has abandoned us or forgotten about us. What should we do when the Bible verses we know by heart are challenged by our reality?

GOD'S PLAN AND PURPOSEWHEN LIFE IS HARD

Mildred White

9/2/20267 min read

We all go through difficult seasons, but that does not mean God has abandoned us or forgotten about us. The Bible says this in Isaiah 49:15:

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8

We know that God loves us and His plans for us are good. But sometimes the Bible verses that we know by heart are challenged by our reality.

“Why would God give me a child with a disability?”

“Why did my husband leave me?”

“Why would a good God let this bad thing happen to me?”

“Where was God when I needed Him?”

“I know He sees me and knows my pain. Why is He not doing anything to help me?”

Do these words sound familiar? Have you thought or uttered some of these words? I have. My son Mikey was born with Down syndrome. As someone who didn’t know anything about Down syndrome, I was devastated when my husband broke the news that our baby had tested positive for it. The following months and years were filled with anxiety because of his medical condition, called transient leukemia. We didn’t know at the time whether it was transient or true leukemia. His oncologist wanted Mikey to have blood samples taken every week for the first few months. Gradually, the blood draw decreased to once a month, then every other month, until he was 5 years old.

Raising my son was a challenge. Support was limited. Life was hard for our family amid stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. My daughter, who was 3 ½ years old when Mikey was born, witnessed all of this, and it affected her as well.

I felt abandoned. I felt so alone. I felt ignored by the God who loves me and died for me.

I had fears. I had doubts. Then I fell into depression. I went to bed each night exhausted and wished I would never wake up. But somehow, God supplied me with strength every morning to care for my children.

I was in this valley of affliction and depression when the Spirit of the Lord gave me enough strength to challenge the lies of the enemy, the accuser who was keeping me in bondage.

I got so tired of feeling sad, hopeless, and alone that I wanted to break free from the deep, dark pit I had been in for a long time. (I shared part of my story in my blog post: How the Lord Healed me from Depression)

In my darkest hour, the Lord came through for me. He did not spare me from the waters and the fire, but He held my hand so I could walk through them. And I have proven by experience that He is real, He loves me, and He is with me.

Here are the important truths that the Lord taught me while I was in the pit, and I want to share them with you:

Struggles and trials are open doors. God is inviting us to enter through them and learn to trust Him. Lean in closer to Him on your painful journey — whether you are facing unanswered prayers, broken relationships, physical infirmities, or something else entirely. God has not abandoned you. He wants to draw you closer to Him. This is a far better choice than shutting the door in His face and walking away. I beg you: even if you have doubts and fears, trust God anyway. Even if your trust is as small as a mustard seed, it will always be better in the end for those who choose to trust Him. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:11. And in Psalm 25:3 it says, “No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame…”
God is not angry when we doubt. Jen Hatmaker, in her blog, defines doubt as “hesitation, uncertainty, or wavering between two opinions.” She also states that “doubt can feel like standing at a crossroads, unsure of which direction to go.”
Here’s what’s amazing about God: He can handle our doubts. He does not reject us when we doubt; He engages with us.
Here are some heroes of the Bible who doubted God and yet received His promises: Thomas the disciple, Job, Abraham, David, and Gideon. Go to Jesus with your doubt, reason with Him, and search for the truth. The result will be a deepening of your faith and a more loving relationship with Jesus.
In the middle of a hurricane, there is an eye where the sun is shining and everything is still. That is where God is — in the middle of your storm. He can quiet the storm inside you if you learn to sit and be still in His presence, trusting that He has the power to quiet both literal and metaphorical storms.
The enemy’s goal is to harm and crush us, stop us from growing in our relationship with Christ, and distract us from our calling but God’s plan is for our own good. The bad things that happen to us are not by God’s design. We live in a fallen world where the devil is operating and spreading his lies and deception, but only temporarily. The devil is the author of all destruction and suffering. However, the Bible says that what the devil meant for evil, God will turn around for our good.

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Genesis 50:20

God, in His sovereign power and authority, can turn our suffering for our own good. He has the final say.

The Scripture says:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Since Jesus has already overcome this world, He knows the trials and issues we are facing and has the power to overcome them. And He is more than willing to let us in on His secret! Not only will He give us the wisdom we need, but He will also give us the strength and power to destroy the works of the enemy in our lives. And on top of all this, in Him, we can have peace!

Jesus also said, “I have given you authority over ALL (emphasis mine) the power of the enemy, and to walk among serpents and scorpions, and to crush them. Nothing shall injure you!” Luke 10:19 TLB

I know this verse by memory in another version, but I must admit I don’t always use this authority. I would encourage us, (including myself) to practice this truth every day, so we don’t become vulnerable to the devil’s schemes, lies, and deceit.

You are not alone. God is with you. If you are at the bottom of a dark pit or simply feeling stuck, God will meet you right where you are. God sat with me at the bottom of that pit. I needed to sit there for a little while so I could know that He could meet me right where I was. He didn’t wait for me to get it all together before coming to rescue me. He was right there with me until I was ready to get out. He waited for me because He knew I couldn’t get out by myself.

Sometimes our minds tell us that staying stuck is easier because it is familiar and we don’t have to do anything. The truth is, it is hard work to change the way we think, to change our habits, and to fight our way out of slavery to pain, addiction, and sin. It is a lot easier to stay there and accept things the way they are, isn’t it?

But that is not God’s plan for us. He wants to free us from our bondage, but He needs our cooperation. He wants us to stay close to Him and trust Him in the process. He will reveal what He wants us to do every step of the way if we search for His will and obey.

My healing journey took time. It was definitely not easy as we continue to meet a few more bumps on the road. But by God's grace, my son was declared healed of transient leukemia when he turned 5, my kids are now 19 and 15. My daughter decided to be on her own, and my son is in high school and thriving. I got my life back. And though our journey continues, I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. The Lord is real, He loves us. Romans 8:38-39 is so real - nothing shall separate us from His love.

The Lord has given me victory over depression, and I love sharing this with other women.

If you are stuck in a web of despair because of your situation, you don’t have to face it alone. Jesus is inviting you to lean in closer to Him. We would love to pray for you and invite you into a small community where we encourage and pray for other women who are also struggling. Our email is hello@imsetapart.com. Or send me your Facebook handle, and I will add you to our chat group.

24The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Shalom!