A Thought for September 2025
God, where are you in all this?
There doesn’t seem to be anything good going on in the world right now, don’t you think? When you watch the news, read the newspaper or overhear a polite conversation, the status quo is more often one of doom and gloom than anything remotely cheerful or heartening in its effect. The misery and pain of war have become a global norm, natural disasters are on the increase due to climate change, the brewing discontent over illegal immigration, our economy in crisis, tax increases, and so it goes on, a doom and gloom that begins to suffocate our desire to enjoy being alive. The rich seemingly get richer and of course the poor even poorer, there seems such injustice at the hardships that some people face right now, and it may even get worse what with the volatile and uncertain future that is being laid out before us with each day that passes. So, with an almost apocalyptic overview of current affairs, would it be considered sacrilege to ask, “where is God in all of this?”
“Hang on” I hear some say, “isn’t that what faith is about? If you have faith, then surely there is no need to ask that question in the first place, because if you really have true faith, then how can there be any room for doubt”?
Now that is a hot potato of a question for any supposed true Christian to handle, so I’ll ask it anyway “is there room for doubt in your faith”?
I suppose it depends on what you might expect of Him, what it is that allowed you to form and maintain a personal faith in the first place, not just what the church tells you to believe, but what it is that allows just you, to take faith from a creed and transform it into a meaningful personal relationship with God? One that allows you to then ask that personal question of Him “where are you in all this” and not be at odds with each other when doing so.
In thinking about it, I am always taken to the story of Jesus and His disciples in the boat during a storm on the Sea of Galilee. When the storm raged at its worst and they thought the end was near, they looked for Jesus and incredulously found him sleeping in the back of the boat. Knowing what He was capable of, I like to imagine that in that very moment, they too were thinking ‘where are you in all this’. They then called upon Him in their moment of desperation and He of course woke and calmed the storm, but not without also asking that question that has been used to pull many a doubting Christian back from the brink of overwhelming pessimism, “where is your faith”? The story reminds me that to have doubt is a very human condition, one that even the most closest followers of Jesus suffered with on more than one occasion. It also reminds me that when I do have those doubts, that I should ask myself “where is my faith”, not as chastisement to make myself feel guilty, but instead to allow me to both reset and recall why I chose to have a faith in the first place.
So just how do we deal with the challenge of a faith tested by doubt or with the everyday anxiety of what is coming next for both us and those that we love? Well, I think one way for certain is that we must have trust and confidence in God’s love for us, that whatever difficulties we face, we must feel assured that He is always with us, even if not apparent in the moment, and to know that we are never truly alone. We should be confident that any suffering, uncertainty or anger that we may experience, can be given over to Him in any way we choose, be it a prayer or a fiery rant, because doing so reveals the true nature of a relationship formed in love.
The reading below is one I use frequently when life gets tough, I find the metaphors that Paul uses can bring spiritual sustenance, strength and courage to face the hardships of life, using what God actually does give us every single day, though sometimes we might lose sight of that fact. I believe we should not ask God or expect Him, to do all the work in sorting out the wrongs in the world that we have ourselves created, but instead, ask Him to be at our side and to guide us towards the solution, so that we might find ourselves saying “God, I see you in all this now”.
Amen. Danny Lamb
Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. Ch6 v10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
A Prayer for Courage
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise to be with me wherever I go. When I am tempted to doubt and fear, help me remember that You are always by my side. In light of your promise, may I choose to be strong and courageous no matter what I am facing. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.