Trusting God Through Struggles and Suffering

Devotional

Day 1: God Knows Our Struggles and Sees Our Pain

Even when we feel alone or betrayed, God is intimately aware of our circumstances and the schemes against us. Jeremiah was completely unaware of the plot against his life until God revealed it to him, showing that the Lord sees what is hidden and cares enough to make us aware of what we need to know. In our own lives, we may feel blindsided by hurt or opposition, especially from those closest to us, but we can take comfort in knowing that God is never surprised and is always present in our pain. He invites us to bring our honest feelings and questions to Him, just as Jeremiah did, trusting that He understands our hearts even when others do not. [06:24]

Jeremiah 11:18-19 (NKJV)
Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings. But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”

Reflection: When have you felt misunderstood or betrayed by those close to you? How can you invite God into that pain and trust that He truly sees and knows your heart today?

Day 2: Entrusting Justice to God Instead of Seeking Revenge

Our natural reaction when hurt is often to desire revenge, but God calls us to entrust justice to Him. Jeremiah, deeply wounded by the betrayal of his own people and family, wanted to see God’s vengeance, yet he brought his case before the Lord rather than taking matters into his own hands. God responded by assuring Jeremiah that He would enact justice in His own way and time. We, too, are called to surrender our desire for payback, trusting that God is the righteous judge who sees all and will ultimately set things right, even when our emotions cry out for immediate retribution. [12:30]

Jeremiah 11:20 (NKJV)
But, O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, testing the mind and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have revealed my cause.

Reflection: Is there someone you are struggling to forgive or a situation where you long for justice? What would it look like to release your desire for revenge to God and trust Him with the outcome?

Day 3: Wrestling with God’s Timing and the Prosperity of the Wicked

It can be difficult to understand why God allows those who do wrong to prosper or why He doesn’t judge them immediately. Jeremiah questioned God about why the wicked seemed to thrive while he, the faithful one, suffered. God’s answer reminds us that He is both just and patient, giving people time to repent. In our own struggles, we may not see immediate answers or justice, but we are called to trust in God’s wisdom and timing, believing that He sees the bigger picture and is working even when we don’t understand. [22:08]

Jeremiah 12:1-2 (NKJV)
Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.

Reflection: Where do you see injustice or the success of those who do wrong, and how does it affect your faith? How can you choose to trust God’s timing and His heart for justice today?

Day 4: Guarding Against Self-Righteousness and Focusing on Our Own Need for Grace

It is easy to become fixated on the sins of others, especially when we feel wronged, but God calls us to examine our own hearts first. Jeremiah was tempted to focus on the wickedness of those around him, but God’s response shifted the focus back to Jeremiah’s own growth and trust. We must be careful not to fall into self-righteousness, forgetting our own continual need for Jesus and His grace. Instead of asking why God doesn’t deal with others’ sins, we are invited to humbly acknowledge our own need for forgiveness and transformation. [36:08]

Matthew 7:3-5 (NKJV)
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye”; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Reflection: Are you more focused on the faults of others than your own need for God’s grace? What is one area where you need to confess your own shortcomings to the Lord today?

Day 5: Trusting God Through Unanswered Questions and Growing in Faith

God does not always answer our questions in the way we expect, but He uses our struggles to grow and mature us. When Jeremiah brought his complaints and confusion to God, the Lord did not coddle him or provide all the answers; instead, He challenged Jeremiah to grow stronger for the harder days ahead. In the same way, God is more concerned with our spiritual growth and trust than with satisfying our curiosity. We may not get all the answers we seek, but we can keep walking forward in faith, knowing that God is with us and will use every trial to shape us for His purposes. [51:37]

James 1:2-4 (NKJV)
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Reflection: What is one question or struggle you have been holding onto, waiting for God to answer? How can you take a step of faith today, trusting God to use this season to grow you, even without all the answers?

Sermon Summary

Life is full of struggles, and often, the hardest wounds come from those closest to us. Jeremiah, the prophet, experienced this firsthand when he discovered that his own family and townspeople were plotting against him. This revelation, given to him by God, left him feeling betrayed, alone, and deeply hurt. Like Jeremiah, we all face moments when we are blindsided by pain, especially from those we love or trust. Our natural response is often a desire for revenge, confusion over God’s timing, and questions about why the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous suffer.

Jeremiah’s honest conversation with God gives us a window into the rawness of human emotion and the complexity of faith in the midst of suffering. He didn’t hide his feelings or pretend to be above the pain. Instead, he brought his complaints, questions, and even his longing for justice directly to God. God’s response, however, was not to coddle Jeremiah or answer every question. Instead, God challenged him to grow, to prepare for even greater difficulties ahead, and to trust in God’s wisdom and justice, even when it was not immediately visible.

This passage reminds us that it is not wrong to have questions or to struggle with God’s ways. What matters is the posture of our hearts—coming to God honestly, with a desire to trust, even when we don’t understand. God’s justice is sure, but His patience and long-suffering are also part of His character, giving even the wicked time to repent. The suffering we experience, and the prosperity of those who seem far from God, are not always immediately resolved. Instead, these tensions become the ground where faith is forged and spiritual maturity is developed.

Ultimately, God’s focus is not on satisfying our intellectual curiosity, but on shaping us into people who can endure, trust, and serve Him faithfully, even when life is hard. The easy life may seem attractive, but it is the hard life that builds spiritual strength and draws us closer to God. We may not get all our questions answered, but we are invited to keep walking, keep trusting, and keep growing, knowing that God is with us every step of the way.

Key Takeaways

1. The Temptation for Revenge and the Call to Surrender When deeply hurt, especially by those close to us, our first instinct is often to seek revenge or justice on our own terms. Jeremiah felt this acutely, but he ultimately entrusted his cause to God, recognizing that only God judges righteously. True spiritual growth comes when we surrender our desire for vengeance and trust God to handle justice in His perfect way and timing. This surrender is not easy, but it is essential for healing and freedom. [12:30]
2. Wrestling with God’s Timing and Justice It is a common struggle to wonder why God does not immediately judge those who do evil or bring relief to those who suffer. Jeremiah’s questions echo our own: Why do the wicked prosper? Why does God seem slow to act? God’s patience is not indifference, but a merciful opportunity for repentance, both for others and for ourselves. Faith means trusting God’s timing, even when it feels unbearably slow. [22:08]
3. The Danger of Outward Religion without Inward Reality Jeremiah observed that some people appear blessed and religious, yet their hearts are far from God. This is a sobering warning: outward displays of faith mean little if our hearts are not truly surrendered. It is easy to be troubled by the prosperity of those who only pretend to know God, but we must focus on our own authenticity before God, seeking a faith that is real and transformative. [24:39]
4. The Trap of Self-Righteousness When we focus on the sins of others and question why God does not act, we risk falling into self-righteousness. Jeremiah’s lament could have easily become a Pharisaical complaint, but God redirects the focus: our own need for grace is just as great as anyone else’s. True humility recognizes that we are all in need of Jesus, and that self-righteousness can distance us from God even more than obvious sin. [36:08]
5. God’s Priority: Our Growth, Not Our Comfort God’s response to Jeremiah was not to answer every question, but to challenge him to grow stronger for the trials ahead. The life of faith is not about having all the answers or living an easy life, but about being shaped into people who can endure, trust, and serve faithfully. Each challenge is an opportunity to develop spiritual maturity, and God’s presence is our greatest comfort, even when the path is hard and the answers are few. [47:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:47] - Ethan’s Story: The Weight of Struggle
[02:07] - The Universality of Struggle and Hidden Questions
[03:43] - Jeremiah’s Confessions: A Prophet’s Inner Life
[05:05] - The Plot Against Jeremiah
[06:24] - Betrayal by Family and Hometown
[10:57] - The Temptation for Revenge
[12:30] - Entrusting Justice to God
[17:43] - Wrestling with God’s Timing
[22:08] - God’s Patience and the Prosperity of the Wicked
[24:39] - Outward Religion vs. Inward Reality
[31:03] - Does God See the Wickedness?
[36:08] - The Trap of Self-Righteousness
[41:42] - The Ripple Effect of Sin and Suffering
[42:39] - God’s Response: A Call to Endurance
[47:21] - God’s Focus: Our Growth Over Answers
[51:37] - Returning to Ethan: Trusting Without All the Answers
[53:49] - Invitation to Trust and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 11:18–12:6 (NKJV) —
> 18 Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings.
> 19 But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”
> 20 But, O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, testing the mind and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have revealed my cause.
> 21 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, lest you die by our hand’—
> 22 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;
> 23 and there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their punishment.’”
> 1 Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
> 2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.
> 3 But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, and You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
> 4 How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither? The beasts and birds are consumed for the wickedness of those who dwell there, because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
> 5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?
> 6 For even your brothers, the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, even though they speak smooth words to you.”

Observation Questions

Who was plotting against Jeremiah, and how did he find out about it? (Jeremiah 11:18-19) [[06:24]]
How did Jeremiah respond emotionally and spiritually to the betrayal he experienced? (Jeremiah 11:20) [[10:57]]
What questions did Jeremiah bring to God about the prosperity of the wicked? (Jeremiah 12:1-2) [[20:19]]
How did God respond to Jeremiah’s complaints and questions? (Jeremiah 12:5-6) [[42:39]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jeremiah was so deeply hurt by the betrayal of his own family and hometown? How does this reflect the pain we feel when hurt by those closest to us? [[06:24]]
What does Jeremiah’s honest conversation with God teach us about how we can bring our own complaints and questions to God? [[19:20]]
God’s answer to Jeremiah was not to explain everything, but to challenge him to grow stronger. What does this suggest about God’s priorities for us when we are suffering or confused? [[47:21]]
The sermon warns about the danger of focusing on the sins of others and falling into self-righteousness. How can this attitude affect our relationship with God and others? [[36:08]]

Application Questions

When you have been hurt by someone close to you, what has been your first reaction? Have you ever struggled with the desire for revenge or justice on your own terms? What helped you move toward surrendering that to God? [[10:57]]
Jeremiah brought his raw emotions and questions to God instead of hiding them. Is there something you are currently struggling with that you have been afraid to bring honestly to God? What would it look like to do that this week? [[19:20]]
The sermon points out that God’s justice is sure, but His patience gives even the wicked time to repent. How do you feel about God’s patience with people who have hurt you or seem to “get away with it”? Does this challenge your view of God’s justice? [[22:08]]
Have you ever been troubled by people who seem outwardly religious or “blessed” but whose hearts are far from God? How can you focus on your own authenticity and relationship with God instead of comparing yourself to others? [[24:39]]
The sermon warns about the trap of self-righteousness—focusing on others’ sins instead of our own need for grace. Are there ways you have fallen into this trap? How can you cultivate true humility and dependence on Jesus? [[36:08]]
God’s response to Jeremiah was to prepare him for greater challenges, not to make life easier. Can you think of a time when a hard season in your life led to spiritual growth? How did God use that time to shape you? [[47:21]]
The story of Ethan in the sermon ended with him realizing he didn’t need all the answers to keep trusting God. Is there an area in your life where you are waiting for answers before you move forward? What would it look like to take the next step in faith, even without all the answers? [[52:13]]

Sermon Clips

Now, as Christians, we know that we're supposed to forgive, right? We're supposed to turn the other cheek. We're supposed to forgive. As Christ has forgiven us, so are we also to forgive others. That is what we're supposed to do. But can we be honest? That's not usually our first reaction when somebody else hurts us, is it? That's not usually how we feel at first. In fact, it may take us a while to get there. [00:11:00] (35 seconds) #ForgivenessTakesTime

It's not what happens to us that's important. It's how we respond to it that matters. Do you turn to the Lord? Do you trust him through the difficulties? Do you turn to him or do you turn away from him and in disbelief and say and let it whatever drive a wedge between you and God? Friends, how we respond to the things that happen to us are so much more important than what happens to us. [00:24:33] (35 seconds) #HeartNotHollowWords

God's focus wasn't on the wicked. God's focus wasn't on answering Jeremiah's questions. Friends, but God's focus was just on Jeremiah himself. God was more concerned with Jeremiah's growth and how Jeremiah would handle the difficulties of life than intellectually answering his questions. [00:47:21] (25 seconds) #FaithWithoutFullUnderstanding

We don't need to know everything. Listen, as I said earlier, I don't believe it's wrong to have questions, but we don't need to have all our questions answered in order to say yes to God, in order to receive the wonderful gift of salvation that he has offered us in his son, Jesus Christ. [00:48:18] (19 seconds) #SpiritualGrowthThroughTrials

Each new challenge that God gave Jeremiah helped him to grow. It helped him to be stretched. It helped him to become more mature. Pastor Warren Wearsby puts it this way. And I love this. He says the easy life is ultimately the hard life. Because the easy life stifles maturity. He says, but the hard life challenges us to develop our spiritual muscles. And ultimately, accomplish more for Christ. [00:50:47] (37 seconds) #JesusOffersTrueLife

As Ethan sat there wondering why. A swift breeze stirred the leaves. over his head. And for a moment, Ethan thought he heard a whisper, not in his ears, but in his heart. He said something like this. He said, Ethan, you don't need to know why yet. You just need to know I'm still here. The unsettledness that he felt didn't vanish, but the weight shifted. His questions remained, but they no longer stood like locked doors. Instead, they became like steps, unsteady, uneven, but leading forward. And for the first time in a long time, Ethan felt that maybe he didn't need all the answers before he could keep walking and keep trusting God. [00:51:57] (63 seconds)

Friends, maybe you're here this morning and you need to do the same. You need to start walking with Jesus, trusting him each step of the way with whatever you're going through, understanding that you may not get all of your questions answered. You may not get the answers that you seek, but trusting God to lead you through it anyway and to keep you growing through the process. [00:53:00] (29 seconds)

Friends, Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, for your sin so that you can have a relationship with God so that you can walk with him through whatever you're going through. Amen? If you've never trusted him as your Lord and your Savior, friends, Jesus died so that you can have the almighty God of the universe to lead you in your life. There's nothing greater. Amen? Amen? [00:53:29] (36 seconds)

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