When Life Doesn’t Make Sense: A Common-Sense Case for Trusting God
Sometimes life punches you in the gut.
You try to do the right thing. You stay kind. You stay patient. And still, things fall apart. Doors close. People betray you. Suffering lands in your lap without warning, without explanation. And in that moment, a question rises up that almost every human being asks:
Why would God let this happen?
If you believe in God—especially the God described in the Qur’an—you’ve probably wrestled with that question. The Qur’an constantly calls you to trust Allah’s will. But let’s be honest: that’s not easy. In fact, it may be the hardest thing a person is ever asked to do.
The Real Struggle: Losing Control
At the heart of the difficulty is this: we want control. We want life to follow the rules we’ve set, especially when we’ve done everything “right.” The Qur’an challenges this head-on:
“You do not will unless Allah wills.” (Qur’an 76:30)
That’s hard to swallow. It means your choices matter—but they unfold within a divine will you can’t override. In modern terms, it’s like giving up the steering wheel when the road makes no sense.
And that’s exactly what the Qur’an asks: not to understand everything, but to trust the One who does.
Pain That Doesn’t Add Up
Another stumbling block is suffering. We all have some version of the question: Why do good people suffer while bad ones thrive?
The Qur’an doesn’t give easy answers. Instead, it says:
“Perhaps you hate something and it is good for you.” (Qur’an 2:216)
That’s not a cheap comfort. It’s a radical claim: what feels like pain may actually be mercy—just hidden, delayed, or redirected in a way you can’t yet see.
Trust, Not Explanation
The Qur’an never promises full understanding in this life. What it offers is trust rooted in the character of God.
Instead of solving the mystery, the Qur’an shifts the focus:
You don’t need to know why it happened.
You need to know Who allowed it—and that He is not cruel, careless, or absent.
“Whoever puts their trust in Allah, He is sufficient for them.” (Qur’an 65:3)
Reframing the Whole Thing
Here’s a different way to see it:
The Problem
The Qur’anic Response
“I’ve lost control.”
Entrust it to the One who never loses control.
“Why am I suffering?”
Suffering might reveal something divine.
“This feels unfair.”
This life isn’t the final judgment.
“I can’t make sense of this.”
You’re not asked to—only to trust God’s sense.
Final Word: Trust Is Not Blind
Trust in God isn’t denial. It’s not pretending everything is fine. The Qur’an shows prophets crying, grieving, even questioning. But what they never do is give up their trust in God’s goodness.
That’s the common-sense logic the Qur’an calls for:
You don’t need to control the story if you trust the Author.