Pain, sorrow, and heartbreak are some of the great questions of our existence. Why do they happen and what’re they for? The Biblical worldview answers these questions in chapter three of Genesis with the fall where Adam and Eve first disobeyed God and sin entered the world. It was from this moment that separation from God and man occurred, and hardships entered the world.

Knowing where pain comes from and then needing to actually walk through a heartbreak are two very different things. The experience of pain is far heavier than the epicenter of its existence. However, knowing where it began helps us in our interpretation of our harder times.

How can Romans 8:28 be true? “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” My dislocated shoulder, all the starts I didn’t get on the baseball field, that breakup… Does He really use those too? Doesn’t a “yes” bring far more meaning and purpose than a “no?”

It’s important to note that God using something for His purpose is not the same as God causing something just for the sake of a lesson. Surely, God can work however He chooses. I believe more often than not God is in the business of helping us put our puzzle back together rather than Him being the One who knocks the pieces off the table.

I was looking back through my journal this morning and reading through some challenging entries I’d written a number of months back. My heart was hurting. I was confused, angry, lost. I spent most of my questions using “why” as opposed to “what is there to learn from this?” I’m not mad at myself now for that being the case, I’m just recognizing where I was then. Something beautiful came to mind as I was reading these old words of mine — I began to experience true thankfulness for the healing that God had brought me through thus far.

I’m able to take that deep, satisfied breath as I slip under the covers right before falling asleep. I smile again when I see a tree that surpasses my understanding. I take a moment to soak in the warmth of the sun at the beginning of a summer day. These are things I’d never thought I’d get back when I was in the long, dark night of the soul. But they’re here again and I have a newfound appreciation for their presence.

Where might you find yourself on this spectrum? Do you relate to the feelings of pain and heartache or is being joyful everyday your default? Friend, give yourself permission to be exactly where you are. God is so for you, even if that’s the farthest feeling of reality for you right now. I’ve seen God walk with me through spiritual manipulation and trauma, pain I didn’t even know existed, to the point where I’m finally able to say again, thank You for who You are, God.

I get it, when I was in the hard place I would tend to roll my eyes when I heard words like the above. Yet, here I am. Don’t lose faith in who God is. He is intimately aware of and cares for where you’re at (1 Peter 5:7). His desire is for you to know Him more deeply. And there is a beautiful truth that blossoms from pain, heartache, and failure. It makes us appreciate healing, right relationship, and forgiveness in ways we weren’t prepared for before the challenging season. Did God do this to you? I don’t know if we’re asking the right question. Because where He’s leading you to now is to a place you would not have been prepared for had you not walked through the darkness.

Let me attempt to land the plane here. As believers in Jesus, we serve a God who is in the business of redeeming and restoring hearts. We serve a God who charges us to remain, to obey, to endure, and to grow in steadfastness. Continue moving forward and seeking the Lord, friend. Whether God feels closer than a best friend or He seems farther away than the Milky Way, He is love and His nature is grace and forgiveness for those who put their faith in Him.

Do you find yourself in the long dark night of the soul – continue. Are you filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord – continue. God is with you either way and He is working in you right now. Cling to the truth of who God is. He is love and He is for you. As we continue with Him, He continues His work of redeeming and restoring our hearts. Don’t give up. Keep going. God’s light shines brightest in the darkness.