What Is God Doing?

God rules over all. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. He holds all things together by the word of His power. There are no rogue molecules, acting out of order from His purpose or plan. Of course, these truths are the deepest bedrock of joy in all the beautiful moments and gifts of each day.

But sometimes in our weakness, in our suffering and pain, the reality that God is in charge .... that He could change this in a second if He chose ... that He is the hand giving the hardship ... it brings its own temptation to question and wonder. What is God doing, anyway? He says He loves us. He calls us to pray and promises to answer. He says He cares about our cares. So why isn't He doing anything? The suffering itself gets layered with the weight of hopelessness, cynicism, despair.


The enemy would just love for us to take the lie, hook, line, and sinker: This is all totally pointless.

There are plenty of times when we can't actually see what God is up to in the middle of our trial. So let's build an arsenal of evidence, a smorgasbord of possibilities, a pile of reasons to stand in confidence in the middle of the pain.

What might God be doing in your difficulty, your pain and loss, your suffering? Here is a sampling of 31 possibilities from God's word (one for every day of the month!):

1. Starting a new church (Galatians 4:13)
2. Giving an opportunity for someone else to love you like Jesus Christ Himself (Galatians 4:14)
3. Blessing others (Galatians 4:15)
4. Filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church (Colossians 1: 24)
5. Producing even greater progress of the gospel (Philippians 1:12)
6. Giving others far more courage to speak the word of God without fear (Philippians 1:14)
7. Multiplying thanks to God by joining together many peoples' prayers for your help and deliverance (2 Corinthians 1:10-11)
8. Comforting and saving others (2 Corinthians 1:6)
9. Helping you learn God's statutes (Psalm 119:71)
10. Helping you keep God's word (Psalm 119:67)
11. Proving that God is with you in trouble (Psalm 91:15)
12. Perfecting you (1 Peter 5:10)
13. Confirming you (1 Peter 5:10)
14. Strengthening you (1 Peter 5:10)
15. Establishing you (1 Peter 5:10)
16. Giving you the opportunity to entrust your soul to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Peter 4:19) 
17. Testing you (1 Peter 4:12)
18. Producing for you an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17)
19. Granting approval so that you may receive the crown of life (James 1:12)
20. Giving endurance (James 1:3)
21. Making you perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:4)
22. Protecting you from friendship with the world that would make you an enemy of God (James 4:4)
23. Leading you to prayer (James 5:13)
24. Giving a blessing (James 5:11)
25. Giving you great reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12)
26. Saving many, many lives (Genesis 50:20)
27. Allowing you to receive comfort so that you may give comfort to others in their suffering (2 Corinthians 1:4)
28. Proving the foundation of your life (Matthew 7:25)
29. Disciplining you as His own precious child (Hebrews 12:7)
30.  Demonstrating to the watching world that you have a hope that is not based on circumstances or comfort (1 Peter 3:15)
31. Overcoming the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:11)

Stand firm in faith. God is for you. He is working. His hand is writing your specific story in a way that will one day bring our hearts to wonder and worship. One day we will see.