November 6, 2025
God, Why Aren’t You Doing Anything About This?
LYSA TERKEURST
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“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12 (NIV)
Hello, my name is Lysa, and I am a divorced woman.
For a long while, I couldn’t say those words. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the word “divorce” being attached to my life. My therapist, Jim, told me to say “the death of my marriage.” That helped. But just changing the phraseology didn’t change the intensity of my shock and pain. And it didn’t take away the many questions I had about how God could let so much devastation happen after I had tried incredibly hard to honor Him and do the right things.
When you’re in the throes of a heartbreaking season, even if you feel firmly planted in what the Bible says, sometimes the suffering is still intense. For me, what broke my heart was that I deeply believed God loved me, cared for me, and was all-powerful, yet in some situations, it felt like He was doing nothing to help me.
I remember writing in my journal over and over, God sees me, God knows what’s happening, and He is in the process of delivering me. But I felt increasingly confused. I was writing what I felt I should say but not what I really felt.
Hard things just kept happening. Then one day I picked up my journal and realized I could no longer write about the faithfulness of God. I put my pen down and wept. Why isn’t God stopping this?
Maybe you’re asking questions of your own today. I’m not going to give you a pat answer and spiritually tie this up neater than it ever will be. Even now, I still don’t have answers to many of the questions I asked God. But I want us to table what we don’t know so we can be more productive with what we can know.
One practice that has helped me tremendously is what I call “tracing God’s hand of faithfulness,” or intentionally remembering what God has done in the past.
The kinds of memories I’m talking about are the ones where you can now see how God was doing good, even when nothing felt good to you in the moment. Pick one instance, big or small, where you have a new perspective and can thank God for how He worked things out. You can also look for examples of how He has shown up for His people throughout Scripture.
In doing this, we can live out Psalm 77:11-12: “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
Sometimes I maximize the problems I’m facing today while minimizing what God has already done for me and throughout human history. When I focus only on what is so terrible right now, I assume evil is winning and God is doing nothing. I forget we live in a world where sin runs rampant — not forever but certainly right now — so there are things God does or allows that will not make sense to me in this moment.
When I look back at God’s past faithfulness, I realize that there are still things I don’t understand, that don’t feel right, that I am grieving, and that don’t look as I had hoped they would. But I remember He knows more than we know. And sometimes we just have to leave room for the mystery of God and have faith in His power because He’s proven Himself faithful before, and He will again.
I want to position myself to look back and say, My God, look at what You have done! You were with me. You were working things together for good. I couldn’t see it then, but I see it now!
When I’m tempted to say, Why is God doing nothing? I try to say instead, I do not serve a do-nothing God. He is doing something … I just can’t see it yet. This doesn’t lessen my pain, but it does increase my faith just enough to get through the next day.
Friend, if you’re having a hard time facing each new day, please know I understand. I still have to freshly apply this. Here’s what I want us to remember: Tracing God’s faithfulness from the past doesn’t fix our present hardships, but it does ground us and give us a little bit more strength for today and hope for a better future.
Dear Lord, You are faithful. Your ways are good. And I am taking time right now to remember and write down all that You have done for me. I declare my trust in You and will remind my heart that You are working on my behalf. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
THIS IS THE RESOURCE YOU MIGHT NEED
For some, divorce can be amicable. But for many women, it’s not. When you’re locked in a bitter battle with vastly different narratives and opinions about what should happen, divorce is not just the signing of a few papers. It’s another whole wave of heartbreak. Whether you find yourself facing the death of your marriage, still trying to recover years after your relationship has ended, or struggling to know how to help a friend going through divorce, Lysa TerKeurst, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, and Licensed Professional Counselor Jim Cress have created a resource to support you every step of the way. In Surviving an Unwanted Divorce, you’ll find answers for the hard questions you’re asking, the scriptural guidance you’ve been searching for, and real hope that will help you move forward. You can preorder your copy today and start reading (or listening) to the first three chapters right away.
ENGAGE
Find everyday encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 77:1, “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me” (NIV).
Read Psalm 77 in its entirety. Which verses resonate most deeply with you? Let us know in the comments.
© 2025 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
