You Need God’s Presence, Not an Explanation

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)

When tragedy strikes, when I hit the skids, when my life falls apart, when everything goes wrong, the typical reaction is to look for an explanation.

But sadly, explanations never, ever comfort. Even if I were given an explanation for my pain, it wouldn’t take the pain away. It wouldn’t shorten or lessen my grief. It wouldn’t make me less likely to choose resentment.

So don’t waste time in trying to find out the “why.” Why? First, My brain isn't big enough to understand all that happens in the world. It’s like an ant trying to understand the internet. I'm just not going to know why a lot of things in my life happen until I get to heaven. It’s not going to make sense until I'm standing before God. Then I will see clearly.

And until then? What I need when I'm going through a tough time is not an explanation. What I need is God’s presence.

One of the reasons I can always be thankful even in my darkest days is the promise of Romans 8:28: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).

No matter how broken life feels, if I give the pieces to God, he will bring good from them. He loves to turn crucifixions into resurrections and then bless the whole world by it.

Whatever pain I’ve been holding onto and trying to understand, I need to surrender it to God today. Ask him for a renewed sense of his presence. Let him hold me together until everything is redeemed one day in heaven. Ask him to take my pain and use it to bless someone, as I trust him to use it for good.

In summary:

Romans 8:28 reminds me that even when life falls apart and I long for explanations, what I truly need is not answers but God’s presence. I may never fully understand why painful or tragic events happen, and explanations would not remove the grief anyway. Instead of chasing the “why,” I’m invited to trust that God is bigger than my understanding and is actively working all things— even the broken pieces— for good in the lives of those who love Him and are called to His purpose. When I surrender my pain to Him, He can redeem it, bringing restoration out of devastation and using my suffering to bless others, all while holding me steady until the full picture is revealed in eternity.

Bottom line:

I may not get an explanation for my pain—but I can trust that God is present in it and will redeem it for good

Next Steps:

1. Personally: Practice Present Trust

Instead of trying to solve or analyze every difficulty, intentionally practice surrender.

Identify one current burden you’ve been trying to “figure out.”

Release the need for explanation.

Ask daily: “How can I trust God here instead of control outcomes?”

Trust becomes leadership credibility when it’s lived, not just taught.

2. Formationally: Reframe Pain as Preparation

Journal or reflect on:

What is this season forming in my character?

How might this experience equip me to serve others more effectively?

Pain that is processed becomes wisdom.

Wisdom shared becomes impact.

3. Missionally: Integrate Redemption into Your Coaching

You are called to equip others. This passage gives you a framework:

Help people stop obsessing over “why.”

Guide them toward purpose in the process.

Teach them how to transform setbacks into alignment moments.

Your 2026 focus on Alignment and Equipping is strengthened here:

Alignment = trusting God’s purpose even without full clarity.

Equipping = helping others reinterpret hardship through a redemptive lens.

The Next Wisest Step

Choose one current challenge in your life and intentionally model redemptive trust in it. Then share the lesson—not from theory, but from experience.

That’s how influence deepens.