Some internal struggles

Lately I have been struggling with the eternal question of where God is when people's lives seem to be falling apart. Where is He when bad things happen to people who it seems just don't deserve it? Because I will be honest, there are times when it would appear He has kind of fallen asleep at the wheel. And if I'm going to be really honest, it hasn't been a struggle of 'lately.' It's been a struggle of 'a long time.' I have to wonder why two coworkers have had children die in the last year, people I love dearly struggle with alcoholism, babies must suffer so as they withdraw from drugs, and wars are allowed to continue causing the mayhem, waste, and wrecked lives they cause.

I'm sure you can think of your own; this is by no means an exhaustive list. Any or all of the above would (to me) be perfect justification for God to swoop down with His God-wand and fix things. I've spent some time being angry at God and even wondering if He really is all He's cracked up to be, even sometimes wondering if it's worth being a believer if (pardon the language, some of you) shit's gonna happen anyway.

Funny how God works. Last night at church the subject was a completely unrelated one, but the preacher had us turn to a chapter of Isaiah (he had us looking at different verses but I found these instead) that outlines pretty much what I've been struggling with:
"The way of peace of they do know know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace.

So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead.

We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but find none; for delieverance, but it is far away." Isaiah 59:8-11

It answers none of my questions but there is some comfort for me to know that God includes things like this in His word. That that's all part and parcel of being a believer too. That believing in God is not all hearts and unicorns and butterflies and paradise. That easy answers don't usually come. That prophets saw the same things I see and wondered the same things I wonder.

In the words of Habakkuk: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen? Or cry out to You, 'Violence!' but you do not save? Why do You make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?"