There are moments in life that hit so hard, the only words we can manage are, “Father, what did I do to deserve this?” Pain has a way of making us second-guess ourselves, our past, even our faith. We start asking: Is this a curse? A consequence? Something I forgot to repent for? While it’s true that sin can lead to consequences, sometimes the hardship you’re facing isn’t about sin or failure at all. Sometimes, what you’re walking through isn’t a punishment—it’s a place where God meets you with power, reminding you that His love hasn’t let go.
Sometimes the storm you’re in is simply the setup for God’s glory. Jesus made that clear in John 9:3 (NLT) when asked why a man was born blind. He replied, “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins… This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” God is not redundant or wasteful, using every moment of our lives to reveal His power, and this includes the pain and struggles we endure.
His Power Shows Up in Weakness
We all want strength. We pray for peace, for breakthrough, for healing. But God often meets us most deeply in weakness. That’s where His presence becomes real, where we stop striving and start depending. Paul reminds us of this truth in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT): “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’” God knows everything there is to know about you. So, you don’t have to hide your weakness or fake strength to please Him. Sometimes it takes the thorn in your side to reveal just how strong His grace really is. And when you come through, it’s not just for your sake. Your breakthrough becomes someone else’s confirmation that God is still faithful.
There’s Glory in the Story
When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He didn’t rush to heal him. Instead, Jesus said in John 11:4 (NLT), “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” That delay, that death, that heartbreak — none of it was wasted. It became the stage for resurrection. Sometimes what looks like an ending is really an opportunity for glory. Not the kind that avoids pain—but the kind that shows us Jesus in it.
So if you’re in a season where nothing makes sense and your heart is crying, “Father, what have I done to deserve this?”—take heart. This isn’t proof that you’ve failed. It’s a place where God’s grace is holding you together, even when everything else is falling apart. He’s not punishing you—He’s preserving you. And when the dust settles, what you’ve survived will carry resurrection power for someone else. This isn’t the end. Before you realize it, the heaviness pressing down on your soul will lift and make room for His glory and yours to shine through. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Father, What Have I Done to Deserve This?”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.