“God is bewildering at times,” lamented a dear friend last week, responding to a young mother dying, leaving a devoted husband and 7-month old. This despite thousands praying. My first thought was to write back an encouragement about trusting God, fighting the good fight, staying the course and keeping the faith. And that would have been fine. And all true. And I do it often.
But I kept thinking about her comment and to be honest, God can be bewildering. I sometimes just don’t get it. The level of grief and pain in people I care about can be overwhelming. And no matter what, nothing changes. The most fervent of prayers go unanswered. We pray and there is just silence. Suffering can be intense with no letup. Mothers weeping over sons. Hearts broken over lost love. The discouragement of prolonged illness.
My first response in writing such words is guilt. Is it OK to feel like this? Is something wrong with me? But then I remember my Bible and times when my hero’s felt the same. Said David, “How long O Lord will You forget Me? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I struggle in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day? (Psalm 13:1,2) and Paul so devastated at one point in his life he admitted, “he was burdened excessively, beyond his strength, so that he despaired even of life.” 2 Corinthians 1:8
I always rebound from these times of bewilderment. Just as David did when he said further in Psalm 13,“But I have trusted in Your loving-kindness and my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for He has dealt bountifully with me,” and Paul who proclaimed two verses later in Corinthians that “he was delivered from so great a peril of death.” The troubles will pass. All will eventually be better. Many prayers will be answered. New hope will come.
But tonight I grieve over people I love who are in the depths of suffering, all the while knowing everything works together for the good. I know it in my head, it just needs to reach my heart.
What I desire for all who are feeling anxious or worried; rock painted by Robin Tench; photo Mary Hurlbut
Embracing Hard Times: Look closely at the lives of Moses, Joseph, David, Daniel, Paul and Peter. Much blessing and joy in their lives mixed with disappointment, heartbreak and troubles. All embraced the hard times and grew. “Grace grows best in winter,” said Samuel Rutherford.
Hold These Needs Up…
- The adult son of a dear friend – suicidal all last weekend
- Those bound in the addictions of alcohol, drugs, pornography, prescription pills
- Healing and reconciliation for all those involved in the recent Laguna racial incident
- Bruce and Linda Ungerland in Thailand visiting friends and the ministry there
- Tru and Shari traveling to Asia in early February for a dental outreach
- The rebirth of a Good News Club at El Morro elementary school
- Two priest imprisoned in Myanmar
- The transition of power in our country; the bitter divisiveness to end
Putting my hope in God for you and me.
Pastor Jay