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When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Most of us have asked the same question at some point:

Why is this happening to me?

Perhaps you prayed for healing but the illness remained. Maybe you worked hard for something and still faced disappointment. Or perhaps you’ve watched someone you love go through a painful experience and wondered why God didn’t stop it.

When trials come, we naturally want answers. We want to know why.

But in many situations, that answer doesn’t come — at least not right away.

Does that mean God has forgotten us?

The scriptures and the teachings of modern prophets give a reassuring answer: No. Even when we don’t know why, we can know that Heavenly Father is with us and has a purpose for our lives.

Faith Doesn’t Mean Knowing Everything

One of the greatest examples of this kind of faith is Nephi.

The Lord blessed Nephi with remarkable visions and revealed many sacred truths to him. Yet even after receiving those revelations, Nephi humbly acknowledged the limits of his understanding:

“I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” (1 Nephi 11:17)

Nephi did not allow unanswered questions to weaken his faith. Instead, he held on to what he already knew — that God loved His children — and continued to trust Him.

That is often how faith works.

The Lord does not always explain every reason for our trials. Sometimes, learning to trust Him without having every answer is part of His plan to help us grow spiritually. Faith is not knowing everything — it is choosing to trust the One who does.

Why Doesn’t God Simply Remove Our Trials?

When life becomes difficult, it is natural to pray for our burdens to disappear.

Sometimes the Lord performs miracles and changes our circumstances. At other times, instead of removing the trial, He gives us the strength to endure it.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:

“Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”

These words remind us that faith is not waiting until every question is answered. It is choosing to trust what we already know — that Heavenly Father loves us, Jesus Christ understands our pain, and Their promises never fail.

Even when we cannot see the purpose of our trials, God can still use them to draw us closer to Him and prepare us for blessings we cannot yet see.

Trials Can Help Us Become Better

No one chooses suffering, yet many people later realize that their greatest growth came through their greatest challenges.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught that without trials there would be “no development of character” and “no growth of powers.”

Trials have a way of teaching lessons that comfort rarely can. They help us develop patience when answers are delayed, compassion for those who suffer, humility as we depend on God, resilience when life feels overwhelming, and faith that reaches beyond what we can see.

This does not mean God delights in our pain. Rather, it means He can use even our hardest experiences to shape us into the people He knows we can become.

Joy Doesn’t Depend on Easy Circumstances

Can we really experience joy while facing trials?

President Russell M. Nelson answered that question with hope:

“When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening — or not happening — in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy.”

Joy is different from happiness that depends on favorable circumstances.

Difficult days will still come. We may still grieve, struggle, or wait for answers. But when our lives are centered on Jesus Christ, we can experience peace that remains even in the middle of hardship because our hope rests in Him, not in our circumstances.

One Day, Every “Why” Will Be Answered

Some questions may remain unanswered throughout our mortal lives.

But the Lord has promised that a day will come when His purposes will be fully revealed.

Doctrine and Covenants teaches:

“In that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things.” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:32)

One day, every unanswered question, every unseen purpose, and every difficult experience will make sense through God’s eternal perspective.

Until then, He asks us to trust Him.

Trust the One Who Knows the End

Trials are never easy, and asking “Why?” is a natural part of being human.

But we do not have to face life’s challenges alone.

Even when we cannot understand the reason for our suffering, we can know that Jesus Christ walks with us. He strengthens us when we feel weak, comforts us when we are discouraged, and reminds us that our trials are not the end of our story.

As we continue to pray, trust, and follow the Savior, He will fill our hearts with peace and lasting joy — even before every answer comes.

One day, every “why” will be answered.

Until then, we can move forward with confidence, knowing that the Lord will never abandon those who place their trust in Him.

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