βI want to believe, I want to have hope, butβ¦β Pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel hears these words often and has asked them himself. We want to know God, feel his presence, and trust that he hears our prayers, but in the midst of great pain, we may wonder if he really cares about us. Even when we have both hope and hurt, sometimes itβs the hurt that shouts the loudest. Can God be good when life is not?
InΒ Hope in the Dark,Β Groeschel explores the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, saying, βI believe! Help my unbelief!β In the manβs sincere plea, Jesus heard the tension in the manβs battle-scarred heart. He healed not only the boy but the father too, driving out the hopelessness that had overtaken him. He can do the same for us today.
As Groeschel shares his pain surrounding the current health challenges of his daughter, he acknowledges the questions we may ask in our own deepest pain: βWhere was God when I was being abused?β βWhy was my child born with a disability?β βWhy did the cancer come back?β βWhy are all my friends married and Iβm alone?β He invites us to wrestle with such questions as we ask God to honor our faith and heal our unbelief.
In the middle of your profound pain, you long for authentic words of understanding and hope. You long to know that even in overwhelming reality, you can still believe that God is good. Rediscover a faith in the character, power, and presence of God. Even in the questions. Even now.
