How to Respond When Life Deals Blows We Don’t Understand

Comfort in chaos

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed (Psalm 139:16 NLT).

• A young couple rejoices when the pregnancy test proves positive. Several months later, an ultrasound reveals multiple deformities in the baby, who later dies within hours of birth.
• A 54-year-old woman learns she has advanced cancer. She pursues treatment and fights valiantly while people around the world pray for her healing. She passes away nine months after her diagnosis—one week before her husband is scheduled to step into his role as pastor.
• A high school graduate (and valedictorian of his class) applies for multiple scholarships to the Christian university of his choice. He receives rejections from all.

Life sometimes deals blows we can’t understand. They hurt. Profusely. We don’t “get” what God’s doing, and frankly, we don’t appreciate it. We question His ways, His wisdom, and His goodness.

And yet the truth remains. None of the stuff we experience surprises God. He doesn’t wake up one morning and say, “Oh my goodness! Look at what happened to so-and-so while I was sleeping!” He’s fully aware of every situation we face, and He’s in control.

This truth brings comfort. God rules in the midst of our pain and seeming chaos. He knows the end from the beginning, and He sees our lives from an eternal perspective. We need not wrestle. We need only to nestle and to trust Him—even though we don’t understand. How’s that possible?

By clinging to Psalm 139:16. When our circumstances perplex us, we can thank God for knowing what every day and moment of our lives would hold before we were even born. We can thank Him for being in control of those circumstances, and for being big enough that nothing surprises Him.

We can pray a prayer that goes something like this: “Father, I praise You for being sovereign. Thank You for being trustworthy. Even though I don’t understand what’s happening or why, You are in control and I choose to rest in Your wisdom and presence. Thank You for loving me and for promising to see me through as I trust in You. In Jesus’ powerful name, amen.”

Be blessed today, my friend. You are loved.