There's a little voice inside all of our heads that likes to speak up when we're in the midst of trouble and hard times.

And this voice likes to say something along these lines: "If God really loved me, and if God really had his eye on me, and if God is all-powerful as he claims to be, then why wouldn't he prevent all these troubles and hardships? What's the point? Why would a loving, powerful God want to see me suffer like this?"

That voice can be a powerful voice at times. And listening to it can really derail our faith.

"God has forgotten me," it tells us.

Or, "God does not want me," or "God hates me," or worst of all, "There is no such thing as God." After all, we think, if there really were a loving God, why would he continue to let me twist in the wind in such agony and misery?

This is why it's so important to constantly go back to the promises of the Bible and have our hearts and minds informed from the word of God rather than from our own human reasoning based on current events in our lives. If we try to figure things out without the word of God, our judgment will be clouded and we'll end up reaching the wrong conclusions.

Paul directed the Romans' attention to God's promises and God's heart, reminding them that God's true intentions with all of us are motivated by love. When we're determined to go our own way, he may allow us the freedom to go that way. But his goal is never our destruction or death. He takes no pleasure in rejecting us or removing us from his presence.

God's end game is always to move us toward reconciliation and eternal salvation. Think of the story of the Prodigal Son. Everything he does is designed to lead us back into his loving, forgiving and merciful arms.

"For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all" (Romans 11:32, NIV).

Our Bible reading for Tuesday, July 28, is 1 Chronicles 4:9 - 5:26, Romans 11:11-32 and Psalm 89:19-29.

Lord, help me to always look to your words and promises in tough times. In my troubled heart, I am tempted to believe that you are so angry with me that you want to cut me off from your love. Assure me always that nothing pleases you more than when I turn away from my sins and return to you. Help me to know that you will welcome me with open and loving arms.

Header image based on "eyes" by Ahmed Sinan, CC By 2.0