When Right Isn't Enough, Keep Going

When Right Isn't Enough, Keep Going

Written by Kateb Nuri-Alim Shunnar

Life often teaches us in the most unyielding ways that even when we walk the path of righteousness, trials still find their way into our lives. It’s a hard truth to swallow, especially when we’ve done everything in our power to do what is good, kind, and just, only to face adversity. There are times when, despite our best intentions and efforts, life refuses to cooperate. But the essence of faithfulness, of unwavering commitment to what is right, lies not in the outcome but in our perseverance.

We live in a world that often measures success by results. If you sow, you should reap. If you love, you should be loved in return. But what happens when the harvest doesn’t come, or when love is met with rejection, or worse, indifference? It’s tempting in those moments to feel defeated, to question our own goodness, and to give up on doing what is right. Yet, that is exactly when our true strength is revealed not when things go as expected, but when we continue to strive for goodness in the face of what seems unfair and wrong.

I remember a time when I thought I had done everything right. I had followed the rules, helped those in need, and given more of myself than I thought possible. And still, things fell apart. My plans crumbled before me, leaving me disoriented and heartbroken. I questioned the purpose of doing right when it seemed the universe didn’t reward it. But as I sat in my frustration, a quiet realization washed over me doing right isn’t about securing a reward; it’s about being true to the divine essence within us.

The Creator didn’t promise us an easy journey, only that we wouldn’t be alone in the struggle. Sometimes, the most profound lesson is that righteousness is not transactional. You don’t plant seeds of kindness, compassion, and justice for the certainty of a future harvest. You plant them because that is what keeps the soul alive and nourished. And even if the external world does not respond as you had hoped, something within you grows stronger with every good deed, every moment of perseverance.

One of the greatest traps we fall into is believing that life will be fair if we are. Yet fairness, as we imagine it, is often elusive. Life isn’t a ledger where good deeds are tallied and automatically rewarded. Rather, life asks of us to remain steadfast, to keep showing up with love and grace even when the odds are stacked against us.

When we continue to do right in a world that sometimes feels indifferent to goodness, we become vessels for the Creator’s light. It is in those moments of relentless dedication that we are most aligned with the divine. We must remember that our purpose isn’t merely to survive the storms but to shine through them. We weren’t made to do good for a reward; we were made to do good because it is who we are.

I missed many opportunities from the universe and the Creator because I was impatient. I thought I had waited long enough and when things didn’t go my way, I lost sight of the bigger picture. It’s strange now to reflect on those times and realize that even though I felt my life was stuck in a repetitive cycle, it actually wasn’t. When I finally stepped back, I could see that every single day was an opportunity a chance for me to grow, to tune into a higher frequency, and to deepen my connection with the Creator and the universe. Those days weren’t wasted. They were preparing me to become a better form of energy, one that could benefit not only myself, but also my family and the people who crossed paths with me, and those whose lives I entered, sometimes unknowingly.

It’s only now that I truly understand what it means when it was said, “Lean not to your own understanding.” How true that is! Sometimes our understanding does just that it leaves us "under," buried beneath our impatience and our need for things to unfold on our terms. I see now that the delays, the challenges, the repetition I thought I was trapped in were not there to hold me back. They were there to elevate me, to build the kind of strength and resilience that could only come from enduring. They were opportunities disguised as setbacks, pushing me closer to the divine purpose that had been set for me all along.

There’s a powerful story I once heard from my grandmother. She would say, "The sun rises each day, whether the clouds want it to or not." At first, I didn’t understand what she meant by that. But as I grew older, I realized she was speaking to the essence of perseverance. The sun doesn’t stop shining because it’s obscured by clouds. It doesn’t withhold its light simply because it’s unseen. In the same way, we must continue to do what is right, even when it feels like the world isn’t noticing.

We’re not guaranteed an easy path, but we are assured that each act of goodness adds to the unseen fabric of the universe. Every kind word, every moment of patience, every time we choose forgiveness over resentment, we are shaping something greater than ourselves. And while we may not always see the fruits of our labor immediately, we can trust that no act of love or righteousness is ever wasted.

In those moments when you feel like you’ve done everything right and nothing seems to go your way, remember this: you are not alone. The Creator is watching, not with the eyes of judgment, but with the heart of love, understanding the depth of your struggle. And just as the sun continues to rise, so too must we rise, again and again, with the resolve to keep doing right—not because it’s easy, not because it guarantees success, but because it’s the only way to live in harmony with our highest selves.

We may not always see immediate change in our circumstances, but every step we take on the path of goodness transforms us from within. And maybe that’s the point. Maybe the reason things go wrong, even when we do right, is not to punish us but to strengthen us. To teach us that our worth is not defined by outcomes but by our unwavering commitment to love, to justice, and to mercy.

So, when life pushes back, when the storms rage, and you begin to question the value of doing right, hold steady. Know that the Creator’s plan is vast and often beyond our understanding. Trust that your goodness matters, even if the world around you doesn’t immediately reflect it. And most importantly, never stop doing right, for in doing so, you not only honor the Creator but you honor the best part of yourself.

Keep going, keep loving, keep giving, even when it feels like you’re pouring from an empty cup. The truth is, your well is deeper than you know, and the divine source from which you draw your strength is infinite. There is no greater calling than to persist in righteousness, no greater achievement than to remain kind in the face of hardship. And in the end, it is not the outcome that will define you, but the integrity with which you held your course, despite the storms.

In those moments of doubt, remember: doing right is not about the immediate reward. It’s about the eternal connection you forge with the divine. And that, in the grand scheme of things, is everything.