He sat quietly in his car, parked in the garage.

In the past he had learned that giving himself a moment to think was helpful, but this time he couldn’t gather his thoughts.

Everything he’d ever learned couldn’t bring comfort or help him understand what he was supposed to do—or what God wanted of him.

The world moved forward without him, but he didn’t mind. He no longer felt a part of it, as if remaining frozen in time would ease the pain or dull the reality.

Noises from outside the garage intruded into his thoughts as his neighbors busily began their day.

For a moment, he considered not going to work. After all, he hadn’t been there for two months. He never expected to be where he was—alone in his car, alone with his thoughts—alone.

But the reality slowly sank in as he sat there—the pain didn’t mean he was alone. The fact was that he had many people praying for him, supporting him, telling him how much they cared even though they were hurting too.

Oftentimes we allow Satan to usher us into a place we don’t belong. More accurately, he makes us believe we are in a place we aren’t—like being abandoned by God in the midst of a trial. It isn’t true, but he wants us to believe it.

God never told us life would be without pain, but we expect it. And when we experience pain, our first inclination is to ask to be delivered from it rather than sustained through it. That’s a natural response, but it shouldn’t be—not for us as Christians.

As soon as the man in that car bowed his head and spoke one word, the name, “Jesus,” a flood of grace poured over him and he was able to feel again. He cried, he stopped feeling sorry for himself, opened that garage door and headed to work. His grief wasn’t over and It wasn’t easy, but it was possible.

Grief is a God-given response to loss and should not be avoided. Instead, it must be respected and observed. It doesn’t mean we wallow in it, making sure everyone knows how horrible or painful our lives are.

It means that we allow it to be a part of us for a period of time out of respect for what we are going through—especially for our loss. We heal—it just takes time and allowing God to perform His work in us.

If you ever think God has abandoned you or treated you unfairly, read Hebrews 13:5,

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

If Satan says God is not there, that He doesn’t care, quote that verse back to him and walk away—‘cause he’s a liar.

Question: Do you struggle with the road upon which God has placed you?