Many years ago, the Christian artist Mark Schultz came out with a song entitled “He’s My Son.” It’s a powerful song about the desperate cry of a father’s heart. Though some see it as a sad song, unworthy of a Christian listening to it, it captured my heart. Songs of honesty always have. This is the chorus of the song, and it is a good summary of the pain that people often feel.

Can You hear me?
Am I getting through tonight?
Can You see him?
Can You make him feel alright?
If You can hear me
Let me take his place somehow
You see he’s not just anyone
He’s my son.

For too long in the church, people have denied and covered up the pain they feel when desperate prayers seem to go unanswered. Endless questions flood the mind about both our own character, as well as the character and heart of the Father. I empathize with that chorus, as I’m sure most of us (if we are honest) do. Whether it’s a prayer to heal a spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, or a prayer to save a marriage, or to ease the ache of loneliness, or any number of things, the cry is often the same.

Where is God?
Does He know what’s going on?
Does He even care?

Those questions make many in the church uncomfortable. They try to direct the focus somewhere else–to cover up the pain from the same questions tearing at their own heart. There are no easy answers, and this certainly won’t try to give such pat and superficial answers (which often make things worse). We simply don’t have the capacity to fully understand God and all His ways.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa. 55:8-9)

There are, however, some things that we can know about both the Lord and the world around us. They may seem to provide little comfort at times–when we want Him to do something, not just be. But, if we take them to heart they are likely to give us a larger (and better) perspective.

#1: This fallen world is not our home.

When God created Adam and Eve, they were perfect and living in a perfect environment. Everything functioned as it should. They were in fellowship with God and in tune with the world around them. Humanity, you see was created for a perfect world. Yet, we know that we live in a world that is far from perfect. Nothing works perfectly–not us, not the environment. And that is a result of the Fall. You see, the Fall not only affected Adam and Eve, but all of creation. Paul tells us,

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:22-23).

Thus, because we were created for a perfect place, we must keep in mind that this world is not our home. We are created and called for something better. At the end of time, this world will be destroyed and a new heavens and new earth created (Rev. 21:4). Until then, we will continue to live in a world filled with death, sorrow and grief.

#2: The Lord is good.

While we do live in a fallen, sin-sick world, we also must remember that the Lord our God is good. He has good plans for us (Jer. 29:11). He describes Himself firstly as gracious and compassionate (Ex. 34:6-8). And part of those good plans is a story of redemption. Not only redeeming us from sin through the death of Christ, but redeeming all that we go through for His glory and our ultimate good.

Notice the qualifier there: our ultimate good. We may not see it here. We may not understand how good can come from it. We may not understand what the Father is doing.  Yet we have His Word, His very promise: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Rom. 8:28, emphasis added). Some half-jokingly call this the “all things clause.” What they mean is, “You know that’s really bad what happened…but, there’s the ‘all things clause.’” Not one thing in our lives is pointless from His perspective. Not one thing is wasted.

#3: The Lord understands our pain.

Not only is the Lord good, but He understands what we go through. God is a personal being, and He feels emotional pain. He is said to feel anger, joy, and other emotions. Jesus, as the perfect representation of the Father, showed many of these emotions. He is not sitting on the throne wondering what that must be like, having no clue to how we feel.

The ultimate example of the Lord understanding our pain is in the death of His Son. Christ even pleaded with the Father: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me” (Mark 14:36, emphasis mine). Can’t you hear the pleading of Jesus? And how such pleading must have torn the Father’s heart. Max Lucado captures it well:

Oh, my Son, my Child. Look up into the heavens and see my face before I turn it. Hear my voice before I silence it. Would that I could save you and them. But they don’t see, and they don’t hear. “The living must die so that the dying can live. The time has come to kill the Lamb.

Can you hear the Father’s heart? He knows our pain because He has experienced it. Not only has Christ been tempted in all points as we have, but the Father Himself has experienced the emotional pain of seeing His Son die.

This, I think, might be close to the Lord’s answer to the father’s cry in Mark Schultz’s song:

Can You hear Me?
Am I getting through tonight?
Can You see Him?
See Him hanging on the cross for you?
If You can hear Me
Know He took your place somehow
You see He’s not just anyone
He’s My Son

The next time you are tempted to wonder if God knows what you are going through, if He cares, remember that He does understand. He knows. He weeps with you. And He is making all things right, all things new, for our perfect home.