We all hope to live a life that is stress, pain and drama free, right? Unfortunately that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes that dream becomes a nightmare, that clear picture becomes distorted and you’re left asking God why. Why me? How come it was so easy for them? Is it just not meant for me? Contrary to popular belief, it’s okay to have these feelings. It’s okay to feel all the hurt, grief, anger and pain because we were created with feelings and it would be very cruel of God to do this and then punish us for making use of them in the right context. Some would rather be righteous robots saying ‘God is good, I’m fine’ when deep down they are crushed, broken and in despair. Perhaps they’re even one more life situation away from giving up on God completely. This act of knowing you’re not okay but putting on a brave face because it’s ‘the right thing to do’ is known in the psychology world as cognitive dissonance. Truth be told many of us are probably living this way; having head knowledge that God is good but not having a truly rooted understanding and experience of this.
Anyway, how does this all link? The bible tells us that in this life we WILL HAVE TROUBLE (John 16:33). Not the encouraging message we are used to hearing is it? Jesus further goes on to tell us to take heart (be encouraged) because He (not us or anything in our strength) has overcome. So essentially this says to me, yes rubbish things will happen, you’ll see people get exactly what you prayed for and so on BUT with Him, you are victorious no matter what. 
Romans 8:18 tells us that our present sufferings are incomparable to the glory waiting to be revealed in us. How can this glory be revealed if we don’t even acknowledge our suffering? Be at peace with your suffering and believe that God can and will do something extraordinary with your story. Our journey in this life is one of refinement, one of transformation into the likeness of Christ. Christ suffered. Christ also displayed emotion, however He did not live in his emotions, He gave them back to the Father and so should we.
But I prayed and fasted about this, why has it still gone wrong?
I have heard about and experienced many ‘but I prayed about it’ moments and let me tell you, it’s God that delivers and saves, not prayer. Do not believe more in prayer than you do in God, He is not a genie bound to our every whim and demand. Prayer is a master key yes, but it is not an invisibility cloak from the will of God (and sometimes, dare I say it, the wickedness of man). What seems downright cruel to us is working together for our good, even though it does not feel like it now.
Finally we must remember that even though it may not make sense to us, no suffering is wasted. ‘God has a plan’ should not be used as a plaster or pacifier but as a weapon and true comfort in the fight for hope and faith. No suffering is wasted, God comforts us during these times so we can be a real comfort to others who pass through hard times.
So when it doesn’t make sense, don’t go to google, go to God. When it doesn’t make sense, locate your situation in scripture and trust God to deal with it as he said. When it doesn’t make sense, don’t pretend you’re okay and turn the word of God into cliches, with sayings you don’t truly believe but go to His word to enjoy the life it gives. When it doesn’t make sense, seek Godly consolation and guidance. When it doesn’t make sense, feel all of the feels and give them back to God. We will all have a day, month or year when it doesn’t make sense but we will also have a life of victory if we cast our burdens to the One who cares.