Help is On the Way with Sarah Jakes Roberts
Finding Hope When Life Feels Overwhelming: Embracing God’s Help in Difficult Times
Life throws unexpected challenges our way. Sometimes, no matter how faithfully we walk with God, we find ourselves in circumstances that leave us questioning, “Why now?” or “How will I ever get through this?” In seasons when pain is loud and uncertainty drowns out peace, it’s easy to wonder if God has forgotten us or if our prayers have gone unheard. But the promise of Scripture — and the testimony of lives changed by Christ — reminds us that help is truly on the way. In our moments of deepest need, God is present, ready to remind us of His faithfulness and to send the help and hope we need right on time.
The Unexpected Storms of Life
Maybe you feel like you’re doing everything right, but suddenly, out of nowhere, life knocks you off your feet. Injury, illness, heartbreak, or disappointment enter with no warning. I know firsthand how one ordinary day can change in an instant. Recently, what should have been an afternoon of fun with my family ended with a serious neck injury. I went from brushing off the pain as “not that serious” to hearing from doctors that I was a fraction of an inch away from disaster. It shook me — yet God surrounded me with people who cared for me and made decisions I didn’t know I needed, literally saving my life.
Those moments are a powerful reminder that God intervenes, often in ways we can’t see. Every close call, every narrow escape — there are unseen angels on assignment, protecting us, reminding us that our story isn’t over. You may not even realize it, but God is often stepping in on your behalf, keeping you when things could have gone much worse.
The Tension Between Gratitude and Grief
Experiencing God’s deliverance can fill us with gratitude. But sometimes, it also brings a quiet grief. Grief that things have changed, grief over pain that won’t disappear, grief because we wish things had been different for ourselves or those we love. It’s difficult to admit, but it’s possible to be genuinely thankful for God’s protection while also feeling the sting of loss or disappointment.
In those seasons, many of us try to hide our pain. We present ourselves as “good Christians,” always thankful, always strong, but we end up carrying our wounds alone. We stuff our struggles behind prayers of gratitude and try not to “bother God” with our hurts. Yet God never intended for us to handle this alone. When we invite Him into our pain, we find a loving Father who welcomes both our praise and our tears. It’s okay to bring your grief to God — He is big enough for your pain.
The Promise of the Helper
When Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 14:25-26, He knew they were about to face a season without Him physically by their side. He promised them the Holy Spirit — the Helper, the Comforter — who would remind them of everything He had taught. Jesus understood that we forget God’s promises in life’s storms. We need more than just our memories; we need the Spirit to bring to mind who God is, what He has done, and what He says about us.
No matter what you’re facing, Jesus’ promise stands for you today. The Holy Spirit is available to every believer, ready to teach, comfort, advocate, and bring back to your heart every word of hope and peace Jesus has spoken. In the thick of pain, when you can’t remember hope, the Holy Spirit is there to whisper truth into your soul.
Living in the “In-between”
So often, we share our testimonies only when we’re through the valley and standing in victory. But the truth is, life is filled with the “in-between” moments — the times when gratitude and grief coexist, where healing comes in stages, and faith is stretched. My experience has shown me that even after miraculous healing in one area, other challenges remain. One X-ray may show a bone healed so completely there’s no trace of injury, while another reveals a new battle to fight.
God’s faithfulness doesn’t always show up the way we imagined. Sometimes, He delivers us instantly. Other times, He walks us step by step through the fire, teaching, maturing, and strengthening us in the process. If you’re still waiting for your breakthrough or walking out a long season of pain, you are not alone or forgotten. Real faith is forged in those seasons, and together we can be honest that walking with God often means trusting Him before everything is “fixed.”
Bringing Your Pain Into God’s Presence
One of the greatest steps toward healing is learning to invite God into your pain, not just your praises. Pain doesn’t disappear just because we ignore it. When Elijah ran in fear from Jezebel, exhausted and overwhelmed, he was honest before God and found comfort, food, and rest from the Lord (1 Kings 19). Elijah didn’t pretend everything was okay — he poured out his heart and laid bare his struggles, and God met him right there.
We, too, must learn to run to God with our raw, unfiltered pain. Whether it’s loss, disappointment, addiction, or heartbreak, God is not waiting for your perfection. He is present in your brokenness, ready to restore, heal, and remind you that His grace is sufficient for today and every day after.
Transforming Pain Into Hope
When we bring our pain into God’s presence, something powerful happens. The volume of pain and grief starts to fade, and the faithfulness of God takes center stage. Lamentations 3 tells how, even in devastation, the prophet Jeremiah recalled this one thing: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faith
