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God is just not fair! Have you ever felt like that?

I sure have. I’ve lived that sentence over and over again. In fact, I even wrote a book titled God is Just Not Fair. Within the pages of the book bears my raw, honest heart.

Here’s why I wrote God is Just Not Fair:

I was so tired of being blind. I wanted to quit more than I wanted to keep trying.

I desperately needed to know God was enough when my life was a mess.

I questioned everything I had ever believed about God.

I needed real hope because I had real pain and real questions.

I wrote this book because I am not the only one who has felt those feelings.

Writing this book was one of the most liberating and scary things I have ever done, because it is more honest and raw than I’ve ever been in a book before.

I wrote about experiences and fears and feelings and frustrations that no one in my family even knew about. In fact, that is part of the scariness… they will read about all the disturbing, troubling and difficult stuff along with you!

It is really hard to question God and still feel secure. It was hard for me to question God without feeling guilty for doing it.

I doubted His goodness, and then I even doubted His existence. Then I was mad at myself for doubting!

I was unmoored, unanchored.

I wrote this book because I am still tired of being blind, yet, totally comforted in my darkness by God’s companionship. I want that for you too.

I wrote this book because I don’t want to quit anymore. Yet, I don’t have to keep trying to feel better, be better. I want that for you too.

I wrote this book because when I most wanted to quit, God carried me and showed me how much He cared and that He could do in me and for me what I can’t do for myself. I want that for you too.

I wrote this book because God didn’t give me all the answers to my questions. God gave me something better…an encounter with Him. I want that for you too my friend.

I wrote this book because I’m convinced that God is just – not fair. He is just…right in all His ways. He is good, caring, present and knows how we feel when we hurt.

I wrote this book for you because you may too question everything you believe about God and I want to hold your hand and walk with you through the questions so you won’t feel insecure and guilty.

I wrote this book for you because you may desperately need to know God is enough when your life is a mess. Can I help anchor you through that confusion?

I thought I was writing this book for me. But, I think I also wrote it for you.

If you are stuck in questions of faith like why God allows pain, doesn’t heal, seemingly ignores your prayer…then I wrote this book for you.

If you want to understand more deeply Who God claims to be and why He behaves like He does… then you are who I wrote this book for.

If you want to feel more comfortable in the mystery of faith…this book is for you.

Your pain matters; your questions matter…you matter.

If you read this book and it reminds you that you can trust God; if it lets you take a deep breath; if it replaces just one of your tears with hope…then all the hard stuff I navigated that eventually showed up on the pages of this book is so, so, so worth it to me.

You matter to me, that’s why I wrote this book…

I wrote this book for people like us; real people with real questions who need real hope when life doesn’t make sense.

As you can probably tell, I believe in this book. I know how healing it was for me to write it, and I know it will encourage you and your friends.

Order God is Just Not Fair: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Order Book

God is just not fair! Have you ever felt like that?

I sure have. I’ve lived that sentence over and over again. In fact, I even wrote a book titled God is Just Not Fair. Within the pages of the book bears my raw, honest heart.

Here’s why I wrote God is Just Not Fair:

I was so tired of being blind. I wanted to quit more than I wanted to keep trying.

I desperately needed to know God was enough when my life was a mess.

I questioned everything I had ever believed about God.

I needed real hope because I had real pain and real questions.

I wrote this book because I am not the only one who has felt those feelings.

Writing this book was one of the most liberating and scary things I have ever done, because it is more honest and raw than I’ve ever been in a book before.

I wrote about experiences and fears and feelings and frustrations that no one in my family even knew about. In fact, that is part of the scariness… they will read about all the disturbing, troubling and difficult stuff along with you!

It is really hard to question God and still feel secure. It was hard for me to question God without feeling guilty for doing it.

I doubted His goodness, and then I even doubted His existence. Then I was mad at myself for doubting!

I was unmoored, unanchored.

I wrote this book because I am still tired of being blind, yet, totally comforted in my darkness by God’s companionship. I want that for you too.

I wrote this book because I don’t want to quit anymore. Yet, I don’t have to keep trying to feel better, be better. I want that for you too.

I wrote this book because when I most wanted to quit, God carried me and showed me how much He cared and that He could do in me and for me what I can’t do for myself. I want that for you too.

I wrote this book because God didn’t give me all the answers to my questions. God gave me something better…an encounter with Him. I want that for you too my friend.

I wrote this book because I’m convinced that God is just – not fair. He is just…right in all His ways. He is good, caring, present and knows how we feel when we hurt.

I wrote this book for you because you may too question everything you believe about God and I want to hold your hand and walk with you through the questions so you won’t feel insecure and guilty.

I wrote this book for you because you may desperately need to know God is enough when your life is a mess. Can I help anchor you through that confusion?

I thought I was writing this book for me. But, I think I also wrote it for you.

If you are stuck in questions of faith like why God allows pain, doesn’t heal, seemingly ignores your prayer…then I wrote this book for you.

If you want to understand more deeply Who God claims to be and why He behaves like He does… then you are who I wrote this book for.

If you want to feel more comfortable in the mystery of faith…this book is for you.

Your pain matters; your questions matter…you matter.

If you read this book and it reminds you that you can trust God; if it lets you take a deep breath; if it replaces just one of your tears with hope…then all the hard stuff I navigated that eventually showed up on the pages of this book is so, so, so worth it to me.

You matter to me, that’s why I wrote this book…

I wrote this book for people like us; real people with real questions who need real hope when life doesn’t make sense.

As you can probably tell, I believe in this book. I know how healing it was for me to write it, and I know it will encourage you and your friends.

Order God is Just Not Fair: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

When my son, Clayton, was three years old, our local theater had a cheap summer movie series. They featured cartoon movies for just $2—and that included the popcorn!

Now, if you’re a new podcast listener, this might be a good time to tell you that I’m blind. And, by the third film in the series, I needed a way to entertain myself while Clayton and the friends we went with enjoyed the 90 minutes of cartoon silliness.

So, I put my earbuds and cassette Walkman in my purse. (Yes, this was before iPods and even CDs.) I also grabbed a cassette tape I’d had for years but never listened to.

This tape featured a message by speaker Marolyn Ford. She had a personal story that was both similar to and different from my own. And, while I was curious to hear it, I also dreaded listening to it—which was why I had waited so long. I was afraid to hear it, to feel it, and then to have to deal with it.

Yet, that day in the movie theater as the previews began, I finally pushed play.

Marolyn spoke of slowly losing her sight, and described her emotions and challenges in a way I recognized all too well. She shared about her life as a wife and a mother, and about how tired she was of being blind.

I sat there, identifying completely with Marolyn. I knew how she felt.

But there was a point in her message when every part of me wanted to turn off the tape. She was about to describe the one part of her story I would not be able to relate to—something that would feel like salt on my open wound.

But for some reason, I kept listening.

In the darkness of the theater and the darkness of my blindness, I heard her describe the night she cried out to God for healing. She shared how, after praying, she could see again—not just a little bit, but completely. Her healing was a full-blown, certifiable, unreasonable miracle!

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I listened.

How could I reconcile God’s decision to heal the blindness of one of His children, but not the other? How could I carry the joy I felt for what God could do in the same heart that breaks because of what God won’t do? At that moment, I looked into the face of blindness and face of healing and saw God in both.

It was then that I had to confront the unfairness of the God I loved. I didn’t want to feel those emotions and question my faith. I just wanted to paste a mushy greeting card over that very broken place in my heart, which read, “Let go and let God.”

But I couldn’t—and I didn’t. Instead, I faced up to the question, “God, are You fair?”

Sister, maybe you are walking through something hard today and face the same question. You may wonder if God’s ways are right, why do they sometimes feel so wrong?

On this episode of the 4:13 Podcast, KC and I get honest and talk candidly about how God can be just, even when He doesn’t seem fair. We also give you four choices you can make when life feels unfair.

4 Choices You Can Make When God Feels Unfair

1. Focus on Jesus. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on others (Hebrews 12:1-3). When you compare, you can feel like God’s not fair. But God never claimed to be fair—or even experienced fairness Himself. It’s not fair that He, in His perfection, would sacrifice for you and me (2 Corinthians 8:9). So, look to Him and recognize that it’s not supposed to be fair. Fix your eyes on Him and not your problems. God may not want to fix the problem. He may want to fix a situation in your heart through the problem. And, when you focus on Jesus, you stay encouraged.
2. Admit your pain. Psalm 62:8 says, “O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.” You can pour out your heart to the Lord and admit your pain. Don’t hold it in because denial is dangerous. Repression leads to depression, but honesty leads to intimacy. When you admit your pain, it draws you closer to the Lord.
3. Invite His presence. Invite God into your pain. Psalm 145:8 says, “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” When you call on Him, you’re making your pain a bridge, not a barrier. You’re inviting Him to step right into the middle of your mess because bridges invite relationship, barriers separate us.
4. Rest in God, not answers. There are mysteries you might not ever understand. Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, don’t fret about the evil man who prospers.” Instead of comparing your life with that of others or seeking answers, you can rest. Answers don’t satisfy, only a relationship with God does. His presence is more valuable than His answers.

Sister, no matter what you face today, focus your eyes on Him, admit your pain, invite His presence, and rest in Him. Through Christ, you can have the courage and comfort to trust God, even when you don’t like or understand His ways.

Related Resources

Free Download

• “Take Me to the Cross” free song download

Books and Bible Studies by Jennifer Rothschild

• God Is Just Not Fair: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
• Missing Pieces: Real Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Blog Posts

• The Not Fair Prayer
• What Your Response Should Be to Hardship
• What to Do When You Doubt God

Stay Connected

• Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to the 4:13 Podcast here.
• Were you encouraged by this podcast? Reviews help the 4:13 Podcast reach more women with the “I can” message. Click here to leave a review on iTunes.

You may face a situation, circumstance, or hard place that doesn’t seem fair today. How can we pray for you?

Years ago, when Phil was finishing up his Ph.D., we had a little money, a little time, and a little boy. All in all, it was really a happy season of life—with one little exception.

Actually, it wasn’t so little.

I was overwhelmed with stress and couldn’t figure out how to manage it.

Ever felt like that?

Oh, girl, I internalized everything. My weak survival skills showed up in things like constant illness and chronic aggravation. Rage simmered just below the surface of my placid demeanor.

One afternoon, Phil called from campus. I don’t even remember what he said or what he wanted, but I certainly remember my response. I remember yelling. I also remember slamming the phone down while he was mid-sentence.

I felt like a volcano must feel right before it erupts—hot, quivering, and rumbling from the roots. I was furious. My internalizing days were officially over and the angry birds were ready to fly.

With one completely abandoned and reckless move, I externalized in a big way. I swung my leg back and then forward, kicking the wall as hard as I could.

The pictures shook, and that made me feel some satisfaction. The things on the shelf all wobbled in mortal fear of my wrath, and that made me feel like I was proving my point.

Then … the wall crackled. I heard drywall falling and splintering off. I felt my foot woefully wedged within the wall while dust blew into my face.

I was stuck.

When I pulled my tennis shoe out, the hole only got bigger. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so good. I had damaged our rented apartment, and really, I had no excuse.

I had heard of the “count to ten” anger management rule. But I didn’t want to count. I wanted to explode. I had given full control to my anger, and it wasn’t a pretty sight.

Sister, you may have never kicked a hole in the wall as I did, but maybe you too have let anger control you.

Louis L’Amour, a Western novelist, once wrote, “Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before—it takes something from him.” I don’t want that to happen, and I doubt you do either.

That’s why KC and I are talking about how to find a better way to respond to anger on this episode of the 4:13 Podcast. We can’t always avoid feeling angry, but we can find ways to manage it. Here are five helpful methods I’ve learned.

5 Ways to Control Anger So It Doesn’t Control You

1. Be still, not speedy. When anger rises in you, stop and be still. Take a moment to quiet your heart. Being still doesn’t mean you are silent. Instead, it gives you a chance to align your spirit with God’s so you can speak the truth in love. Quieting yourself allows you to have control over your anger, rather than your anger having control over you.
2. Inspect, not invent. Sometimes we invent a problem that doesn’t even exist by assuming the worst or assigning meaning that doesn’t belong. When anger starts to rise, inspect the situation. Ask yourself:— Why am I angry?
   — Is my anger warranted?
   — Is my anger based on fact or speculation?
   — Am I assuming the worst about this situation or this person?

   If you take a breath and inspect the situation and your own heart, you will be less likely to invent a problem that doesn’t exist … or invent an even bigger problem than the one that already exists.

3. Respond, not react. Responses are most often based on thought, while reactions are usually based on emotion. A response tends to be other-centered, while a reaction tends to be self-centered. And—as we all know—when we’re mad, that emotion we’re feeling isn’t usually one that will lead to a mature reaction. So, when you start to fume, take that breath and count to ten. Be still and inspect so you can respond and not react.
4. Deal with it, don’t deny it. Some of us don’t deal with anger; instead we repress it. When you do this, it becomes just as destructive as if you’d exploded in a fury of emotion to everyone in earshot. It can morph into depression and grow into resentment. So, deal with your anger. Find a way to lovingly confront, wisely work things out, and forgive.
5. Sense, but don’t sin. To experience feelings of anger is not a sin. If it were, the Bible wouldn’t tell us to be angry and sin not. But we can feel anger in such a way that it turns to sin. Sometimes our anger even feels good. We coddle it, justify it, and feed it, causing it to grow until it devours people. Sense and feel anger, but don’t indulge it. Sin hurts you.

Sister, no matter how difficult it may seem at times to manage your anger, remember you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

Related Resources

Free Downloads

• Peace-Giving Promises – Scriptures to Help You Control Your Anger

Books and Bible Studies by Jennifer Rothschild

• God Is Just Not Fair
• Me, Myself, & Lies: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself
• Me, Myself, & Lies: A Thought Closet Makeover Bible Study

Blog Posts

• Be Still and Know That You’re Not God
• How to Put Out the Fire In Your Thought Closet
• 3 Steps to a Happier You
• 5 Ways to Handle Conflict With Grace
• The One Question I Am Asked Over and Over

Links Mentioned in This Episode

• Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis

Stay Connected

• Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to the 4:13 Podcast here.
• Were you encouraged by this podcast? Reviews help the 4:13 Podcast reach more women with the “I can” message. Click here to leave a review on iTunes.

I’ve got two questions for you. First, which one of the five choices do you most need to make the next time you feel angry? (Mine is to be still.) And, like I asked you on the podcast, what is your favorite C.S. Lewis quote or book?

(By the way, if you’re a new reader, this might be a good time to tell you I’m blind.)

When I hung up a few minutes later, I reached out to put my arm around Phil’s waist. As I did, I slipped my hand down and patted him on his—well, you know. We were newlyweds, after all!

As I did, I heard him say, “Jennifer, what are you doing?”

I could tell he was trying to hold back a laugh. I could also tell his voice was not next to me anymore, but behind me. I was horrified when I realized he had stepped away from the counter while I was on the phone, and another man had taken his place.

“I am so sorry, sir!” I yelped.

By now, Phil was laughing. I didn’t have my cane out, and I don’t really look blind at first glance, so I’m sure the man had no idea why I had so brazenly patted his backside. I could feel myself turn every shade of red God ever created as the confused and violated man muttered, “No problem,” and stepped away.

“Tell him I’m blind,” I whispered through clenched teeth. Phil was laughing so hard he couldn’t even talk.

“If you had been here, this would not have happened!” I scolded him.

Does that phrase sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve found yourself saying something similar such as, “If You had been here, God, then…”

Friend, you and I are not the first ones to grapple with “if/then” speculations. The apostle John tells of Martha and her sister Mary, who were heartbroken when their brother Lazarus died.

Jesus was a family friend, so they had sent word to Him that Lazarus was deathly ill. But Jesus didn’t get there until it was too late, and Lazarus died. When Jesus finally arrived, Martha said, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).

I love the way she just tells Jesus how it is. And we all get it. We know Martha is saying with her heart, “Lord, I trusted You. Where was Your presence when we needed You most?”

But was Martha’s statement to Jesus true?

Martha believed Jesus’ presence would protect Lazarus from death. She knew He could touch her brother and heal him completely. As far as she was concerned, if Jesus had been there before Lazarus breathed his last breath, then Lazarus would not have died.

Yet isn’t it also possible that Lazarus could have died with Jesus right there with him, holding his hand? The truth is, yes.

What happens in our lives has nothing to do with God’s presence and everything to do with His providence. Sometimes we may think it is God’s presence that keeps us from hard and awful things. But often it is God’s presence that comforts us as He carries us through those hard and awful things.

Like Martha, have you ever placed any “ifs” on God?

• God, if You had been here, then ______ wouldn’t have happened?
• Lord, if Your presence was truly with me, this tornado wouldn’t have destroyed our home.
• God, if You really were with me, how could I have been treated so terribly?

“If” is a word of speculation; it is not a word of reality.

When we use the word “if” with God, we are pining for the past or projecting ourselves into the future.

• If You would just do what You did in the past, I would know You are with me.
• If You would just give me a sign for the future, I could trust that You have a plan.
• If You would make my today just like my yesterday, I wouldn’t be so focused on tomorrow, and I could enjoy Your presence now.

But thoughts like these can keep us from being present and attentive to what God is doing in our lives right now.

Oh girl, instead of creating “if/then” scenarios to satisfy what we don’t understand about God’s ways, let’s switch our focus. Instead of  “what if” let’s choose to focus on “what is.” And, here is what is:

God is with us.

God is an ever-present help in times of trouble.

God is sovereign.

Sister, there is no need to fantasize about the future, or to pine for the past. God is here and we can claim His promises as our own. And He promises, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), and “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

And He didn’t use the word “if” at all in His promises—so we don’t need to either!

How is God’s presence comforting and encouraging you right now in a present challenge, situation, or struggle you face? Share in the comments below.

 Sometimes the things life throws at us can make us feel like God isn’t being fair. She got the job, and I didn’t. Her health is fine, and I have a chronic illness. The list could go on and on forever… we’ve all be there!

You’re frustrated, confused, sad, or discouraged, but you desperately want to keep trusting God and His Word. What do you do?

Here are four ways to pray when you’re stuck in a rut and feel God just isn’t fair. I call it the “Not Fair Prayer”.

1. F – Fix your eyes on Jesus

We spend lots of time trying to fix our problems, but you will find more peace if you simply fix your eyes on Jesus.

If we keep our eyes focused on Jesus as our encouragement and example, it will strengthen us to face our own pain.

How did Jesus do it? He kept His eye on the joy that was set before Him. He was able to fix His eyes on something better and purposeful and it helped Him endure.

Fix your eyes on Him. When you’re feeling especially sad or frustrated, think about Him. He endured unfairness and cruelty and He knows how you feel when you suffer. Focusing on Jesus will help you endure. It was for “the joy set before Him” that He endured and my friend, there is joy set before you too!

Not only do we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, but we need to fix our eyes on something higher and better – the joy set before us.

Colossians 3:2 says, Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

Earth may be hard, but it will be short. Heaven is long. So, fix your minds on Heaven and the things of Heaven. When you think of heaven what do you see? There will be no tears, no pain, no hurt, no rejection, and no mistreatment.

Heaven is real – as real as your pain.

Fixing your eyes on your ultimate home will help you endure the rocky path you travel on earth.

Pray this prayer to help you fix your eyes on Jesus:“I fix my eyes on You, Jesus, and on the joy set before me.”

2. A – Admit your pain, perplexity, and powerlessness

Denial is a dangerous choice. It’s okay to admit your pain or disillusionment. In fact, it’s biblical! Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Psalm 62:8)

The psalmists did that; they admitted when they were hurt. Here are some prayers to pray when you are weary, sad, or grieving.

When you’re weary:
Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. (Psalm 86:1-2)

When you’re sad or grieving:
My soul weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word. (Psalm 119:28)

Pray to God: “I admit my pain and powerlessness.”

3. I – Invite God into your pain

The Lord is near to all who call on Him – to all who call on Him in truth. That’s why we admit our pain and invite Him in. He will draw near if you ask Him to. Don’t let your pain be a barrier that keeps you from God; make it a bridge that invites Him in to heal and comfort you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Hear me, O Eternal One, hear my prayer! Hear my lonely, desperate cry for help, and answer me quickly when I call. (Psalm 102:1)

Invite God in by praying: “I invite You into my pain, please come help and comfort me.”

4. R – Rest in the mystery. Rest in Him.

Rest is what you experience when you stop trying to fix your problem and, instead, fix your eyes on God.

Dwell on these Scriptures as you rest in who God is:
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure. (Acts 2:26)

You are a shield around me, O Lord, my Glorious One, who lifts up my head…I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. (Psalm 3:3-7)

Rest is what you experience when you admit you are powerless and invite God’s presence and power into your pain.

Pray to God: “I rest in You.”

When life doesn’t feel F-A-I-R, pray the Not Fair Prayer. It’ll root you in Scripture and turn your heart to the truth of God’s character.

My book, God is Just Not Fair, delves deeper into what it means for God to be just, and I share my story of facing the realities of God not being fair. Learn more about the book at www.notfairbook.com.

In the comments below, share with us your favorite verse that helps you when life doesn’t seem fair. 

We would take Superman and have him fly toward the “burning” Lego skyscraper and swoop in just in time to save the family. All the while his cape was flying in the wind like a true hero.

I didn’t realize it then – in fact, it took years for me to realize it – but Superman wasn’t the only one who wore a cape. I wore a superhero cape too—my superhero cape was my faith.

My faith cape made me feel like I could fly, do super human stunts and be unaffected by all the stuff mere mortals dealt with. But, my faith was not designed to be a superhero cape. It is meant to be a blanket… a blanket of faith.

You see, we all have a blanket of faith. It’s woven together with the strands of what we believe about God and what we have experienced in our relationship with him. We wrap ourselves in this blanket and it helps us feel protected and comforted.

You may have a well-worn blanket of faith because you’ve walked with God for years and years. I do. My blanket of faith is over forty years old! Or, you may have a brand new blanket of faith, and you’re still learning how to wrap yourself in it.

No matter how long we’ve had our blankets of faith, we all feel more secure when we’re wrapped in them.

Then, life happens.

Your child gets sick… rip.
Your husband leaves… tear.
You can’t lose the weight… gash.

Life tears big holes in our blankets of faith, doesn’t it? We feel exposed and insecure. We wonder if our faith will really be enough to protect and comfort us. Every heartache we endure raises hard questions, and each question has the potential to tear a new hole in our blanket of faith.

The very faith we had hoped would shelter and comfort us suddenly feels inadequate and leaves us feeling even more vulnerable to the harsh winds of sorrow and fear.

Can you relate? I bet you can. Most of us have experienced some confusing circumstances and asked some tough questions. We all have some holes in our faith blankets.

Friend, I have not only asked hard questions, I have lived the questions, and you should have seen my blanket of faith; it was a tattered mess. And, to be honest, I was terrified because the one thing I had depended on - my faith – had been reduced to rags, and I was needy, vulnerable, and afraid.

Blindness had been ripping holes for years. Depression tore through the fibers of my faith. A breast cancer scare created gashes.

My blanket of faith was full of holes, and the holes showed me something I didn’t expect: I was using my blanket of faith as a superhero cape. It wasn’t intentional, but I had been wearing my faith as a symbol that I was super human and could soar above life’s circumstances.

I was wrong.

It’s hard to fly when your blanket of faith is full of holes, isn’t it? I tried to fill the holes with Bible study, but it wasn’t enough. I tried to run faster and jump higher, hoping my faith would catch a gust of holy wind that would lift me up again. Yet, my efforts were not enough.

Nothing worked.

The reason I couldn’t fix my blanket of faith and turn it back into a superhero cape was that the only One who can repair the blanket of faith is the Manufacturer – God. And, He didn’t create faith to be a superhero cape in the first place.

God alone can fill the holes in our faith because He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

If you’ve been wearing your blanket of faith as a superhero cape, hoping it would help you feel or look good, take it off your shoulders. Lift it up to God and ask Him to strengthen every fiber. Ask Him to fill each and every hole with Himself.

Then, wrap it around you and let it comfort and shelter you. Cease striving my friend. Rest in your faith. When you rest in your faith rather than working so hard to repair your faith, you will find that God is enough. When you wrap yourself in your faith with humble dependence rather than draping your faith over you as a display of your abilities, you will begin to learn to rise above your circumstances.

Our blankets of faith should draw us closer to God – not draw attention to ourselves.

When we wear our blankets of faith as superhero capes, we strut like a peacock. But, when we wrap ourselves in our faith, we find we are as cared for as the sparrows.

When my tattered blanket of faith no longer let me soar and strut, God taught me that faith isn’t something we parade; it’s what we present to God in humility expecting Him to do the supernatural and show Himself as the Hero who fills all the holes and makes us whole.

Part of this blog is an excerpt from my book, “God is Just Not Fair: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.” If this post hits a tender place in your heart, I’d love to recommend this book to you. God is using it to minister and heal hearts.
Question: What is one thing you’ve learned as you’ve grown in your faith?

I recently wrote a post telling you why I wrote the book and how it can help anyone who feels like life doesn’t make sense.  Ann Voskamp, Lysa TerKeurst, Kay Arthur, Kirk Cameron and others were kind enough to read it before publication. You’ll find what they thought about the book on the right side of this page.

The main thing I want to communicate here is that if you buy the book during LAUNCH WEEK (March 24-29), I will give you Five Bonus Gifts.

These Five Bonus Gifts come to you in an easy-to-download format only.

I know you are struggling. I can hear those doubts tossing around in your mind. You’re wondering if I still care about you, if I am even aware of your daily frustrations and discouragements. You feel as though the trials you are going through don’t matter to me and you question if I even hear your prayers.

I know you can’t see it now, but these trials have purpose.

I don’t want your pain to leave scars, but beauty marks the whole world will see.

You may not always understand my ways or why I choose to accomplish my perfect plan in a way that seems so imperfect to you, but you can trust me.

I know you are weary child, but don’t give up on Me or your faith in Me. I will show you how I can take what is broken in you and rebuild it. Let me reveal how I can give you a greater sense of peace through every storm you face.

I want you to see the truth of who I really am and free you from any misunderstandings about Me. If you will trust Me, you will experience unexpected peace in spite of unexpected heartache.

Will you come close to me and let me wrap you in my strength? I will reveal myself to you and give you hope; I will be the hope you need when your life doesn’t make sense.

Dear one, I know my ways are confusing and often it seems I am just not fair. But, look to me, let me love you through the questions you have and you will discover that I am just. My ways are perfect and my every action or seeming inaction is because I am just… not fair.

Love,
Your Father God

Question: What truth of God’s Word do you cling tightly to during seasons of pain? Share some encouragement.