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A recent surgery had me home recuperating. Cancer can rob our peace if we let it. I had yet to get the final news, the outcome of just what my future held. And we can ask ourselves over and over, “Why me?”

My cancer situation turned out much better than some. I didn’t need plastic surgery to repair my face. My sin was that of Job’s: not trusting God’s sovereignty. I have dealt with the loss of my husband to cancer, as well as close friends and a couple of family members. A dear friend dealt with it, which wore her down. But she didn’t give up; she clung to God. This woman was a devout Christian. She may not have asked, “Why me,” but I did for her.

Job’s friends continued to tell him that he must have committed some sin to have so much hardship thrown at him. Job admitted to only one sin: questioning God and His power.

Understanding why bad things happen to good people is difficult to understand. But we don’t know the bigger picture, which includes God’s plans. Job finished with more abundance than he originally had. In verse 4, Job states, “I spoke of things I did not understand, too wonderful for me to know.”

Sometimes, things just happen. We live in a fallen world and have since Adam and Eve bit into the forbidden apple. Having a relationship with God doesn’t shield us from hurts, financial strain, mental anguish, or unwanted diagnoses.

Surrendering to something so big seems impossible; surrendering to God’s mercies is more doable. Difficult but possible. Without God’s strength and hope, so much of life is too challenging for us to handle by ourselves. However, we weren’t designed to do it alone.

Our world teaches us to be self-sufficient and in control. As a child raised in a dysfunctional home, control was a protective mode I learned. This has been hard to unlearn, but doing so has been the process of true surrender for me.

Trust God with your unanswered questions. He has good plans for you.