When God Doesn't Fix It: Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can't Live Without

by Laura Story

Mixed in with the sadness, relief, and fear, I felt angry that it had taken a year for the doctors to find the tumor. And I was tempted to be angry with God, who could have directed them to the proper diagnosis. But then I had another thought.

Am I going to let my circumstances determine my view of God, or am I going to let God determine how I view my circumstances?

Thank you for hearing my prayer. I prayed for a change, and you have given it to us. Thank you, God, for a diagnosis. For this diagnosis.

The things that mattered in my world had been stripped away, and all I had left was a question mark. If everything that brought me joy or significance was so fleeting it could disappear with the snap of an elbow, then what’s the point?

God loved me so much, he was willing to strip everyone and everything away from me so I could receive the “incomparable riches of his grace” (Eph. 2:7).

MYTH: TRIALS ARE A CURSE. TRUTH: TRIALS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY.

Our desire is for God to fix broken things. But God’s desire for us is to fix our relationship with him.

It’s hard to understand why sometimes Jesus heals and sometimes he doesn’t. When it feels as though he’s turned his back and walked the other way, it’s hard not to be disappointed. Maybe even angry. But while we’re focused on the unhealed sickness, hurt, and pain in our lives, God is focused on a bigger picture. Something else is broken, and it has eternal consequences if it doesn’t get fixed.

It’s our relationship with our Creator.

God wants to restore our relationship with him more than anything else. Though he loves us, he’ll allow us to feel the pain of this world’s unhealed hurts if it brings us closer to him.

MYTH: GOD’S PRIMARY DESIRE IS TO FIX BROKEN THINGS. TRUTH: GOD’S PRIMARY DESIRE IS TO FIX MY BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

a God who cares more about our soul than our body. That is who our God is.

MYTH: SALVATION IS GAINED BY THE THINGS I DO. TRUTH: SALVATION IS GAINED BY WHAT JESUS DID FOR ME.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (vv. 2–4)

James is saying that when the trials of life happen, we need to hold on to God. It’s an opportunity for us to look in the dark for the less obvious blessings and mercies of God that we might overlook in the light. When we do, God shows us things that we otherwise might miss. God’s light is brightest in the dark.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD,

If you find yourself struggling in a situation you didn’t see coming, consider it an opportunity to trust God. When we trust that God is for us and not against us, we can see our future as he sees it.

MYTH: THE PLAN I HAVE FOR MY LIFE IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE PLACE WHERE GOD HAS ME RIGHT NOW. TRUTH: WHERE GOD HAS ME RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST PLACE FOR ME.

MYTH: THE CHURCH IS A BUILDING WITH SERVICES. TRUTH: THE CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE OF GOD AS THEY SERVE ONE ANOTHER.

After being in the hospital for so long and then coming home to so many new challenges, it was a relief to know that God’s hold on my life wasn’t contingent on my hold on him. In those seasons of life when I’ve been distracted, God has held me that much tighter.

MYTH: THE STRENGTH OF MY FAITH IS BASED ON HOW STRONGLY I BELIEVE. TRUTH: THE STRENGTH OF MY FAITH IS BASED ON THE STRENGTH OF MY GOD.

We often think about worship as the songs we sing in church, but the truth is that worshipping God is about surrender. Surrendering to God’s will when it doesn’t match ours or when we’re too impatient to wait for him. Surrendering that which is most important to us. And surrendering our personal story to live out our part in God’s greater story. Worship is surrendering everything for God, valuing God so much that we’re willing to let everything else go.

His most faith-filled moment involved letting something go.

There is something we’re all struggling to let go of. God is stirring something in our hearts and encouraging us to trust him. Maybe he wants us to surrender it, to loosen our grip, and allow him to take it.

MYTH: I GAIN BY HOLDING ON. TRUTH: I GAIN BY LETTING GO.

The single word why haunts me the most.

But I also know that staying stuck in the why, or worse, running away from God, only brings more pain and sorrow. You have to run to him.

MYTH: CONTENTMENT BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING WHY. TRUTH: CONTENTMENT BEGINS WITH ASKING HOW GOD MIGHT USE THIS FOR HIS GLORY.

MYTH: I WORSHIP BECAUSE I FEEL GOOD. TRUTH: I WORSHIP BECAUSE HE IS GOOD.

MYTH: GOD CAN ONLY USE MY STORY WHEN THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING. TRUTH: GOD CAN USE MY STORY WHEN I TRUST HIM IN THE JOURNEY.

Jesus goes out of his way to meet up with the hurting, the marginalized, and the broken.

MYTH: I AM DEFINED BY MY PAST. TRUTH: GOD REDEEMS MY PAST AND GIVES ME A FUTURE.

MYTH: MY STORY ISN’T WORTH MUCH. TRUTH: MY STORY IS MY GREATEST OFFERING.

MYTH: GOD NEEDS MY HELP. TRUTH: GOD WANTS MY TRUST.

MYTH: I MUST WORK TO KEEP MY DREAMS ALIVE. TRUTH: I CAN REST WHEN I RELEASE MY DREAMS TO THE HANDS OF MY LOVING FATHER.

MYTH: GOD IS WITHHOLDING WHAT I WANT BECAUSE HE IS PUNISHING ME. TRUTH: GOD IS WITHHOLDING WHAT I WANT BECAUSE HE HAS SOMETHING BETTER FOR ME.

MYTH: GOD IS INDIFFERENT TO THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART. TRUTH: GOD IS ABLE TO DO ABUNDANTLY MORE THAN WE ASK FOR OR IMAGINE!

Even though our situations aren’t going to get better, there are ways we can get better.

Though we’re still broken, it can be a better broken.

To be better in our brokenness isn’t to remove the brokenness; it’s to remove the selfishness, pride, impatience, or other sinful behaviors we blame on the brokenness. When we stop blaming our situation on the brokenness, we begin to see that the brokenness is a trial designed specifically for us.

Joy doesn’t come from our circumstances; it comes from our God. And since God is with us during our trials, it is possible to have joy even in our trials.

Joy is in the Lord. Brokenness is in the world. As long as we’re alive, both will coexist on earth.

And neither are you being punished. You are also loved.

MYTH: THINGS HAVE TO GET BETTER BEFORE I CAN GET BETTER. TRUTH: MY SITUATION MAY NOT GET BETTER, BUT I CAN GET BETTER.