We often picture grace as warm rays of sunlight streaming down from the heavens, illuminating our lives with blessings. But that is not what grace is. Grace is not an external sign of God’s favor—it is His very life within us, given freely and undeservedly, so that we may be conformed to Christ. True grace works in us whether we feel its warmth or not, and often, it is most active when life seems most difficult.
There is a 2024 song by Benson Boone called “Beautiful Things” that tells the story of a man who finds himself in a similar situation to Job. He feels like he has it all: He has a good family, he’s found a girl that his parents love, and though “it’s been a while”, he’s found his faith and his sanity again. But just like Job, he knows that these beautiful things he has are not forever. “But I know the things He gives me He can take away.”
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21)
In the chorus, Boone prays to God, asking Him not to take away the beautiful things that he has: “Oh God, don’t take these beautiful things that I’ve got!” How many times have you been there, afraid that the good things that we cherish might be taken away? How many times have you pleaded with God to give you one more dinner in a family home before you sell it or one more day with a loved one before they pass away?
No one enjoys hearing the word “No,” especially from God. We ask, we petition, and we expect good things from Him. But as Job reminds us, everything we have is from God, and He knows what is best for us. This is not an easy truth to accept.
Think of a parent raising a child. It would be much easier for a parent to say “yes” than to say “no” to their child’s request. But a loving parent wants their child to be happy, and they love their child enough to deny them things that would ultimately be harmful, or that would distract them from the greater goods in life.
God, in His perfect wisdom, does the same with us. When He withholds something we desperately desire or takes something or someone away, it is because He sees the bigger picture. He is not punishing us; He is protecting us, purifying us, and calling us to something greater.
As Fr. Richard Simon says, the prayer of the heathen is, “Give me what I want. Amen.” How often do we pray like this? We ask for what we think we need, assuming that our desires align with God’s perfect will. But the true prayer of the Christian is, “Teach me, Lord, your way that I may walk in your truth.” (Psalm 86:11) God wants us to ask Him for things, but at the same time, He wants us to follow His will.
To pray as Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane—”Not my will but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42)—is the heart of discipleship. It is a surrender to divine wisdom over human desire. When God says “no” or removes something from our lives, He is inviting us into deeper trust, not abandoning us.
In Chapter 15 of the Gospel of John, Jesus teaches that He is the vine, and His Father is the vine-dresser. We are the branches, called to bear fruit. Yes, the vine-dresser cuts off the fruitless branches, but even the branches that bear fruit are not left untouched—they are trimmed back so that they may produce even more.
This is a striking image. Pruning is not a gentle process. It involves cutting away what is superfluous or unhealthy so that something even better may come. When God takes something away from us, it can feel like loss, but it is actually preparation for new growth.
We may not understand why God removes certain people, opportunities, or comforts from our lives. But faith tells us that nothing is wasted in His hands. Every “no” from God is an invitation to trust, to grow in virtue, and to be reshaped in the image of Christ.
It is easy to trust God when we receive what we want. The real test of faith comes when we do not. Will we resent Him, or will we surrender to His wisdom? Will we insist on our own desires, or will we allow Him to shape us through His will?
