On Saturday we went to a memorial service for a 47-year-old wife and mother of two daughters in their early 20s. One of the girls came home and found her mother unresponsive on the floor. The cause of death is unknown. They had been an especially close family. Family, friends, and laughter often filled their home. This week would have been the couple’s 25th wedding anniversary.
I’m sure every person who knew them was asking the same questions: Why would God take her? Why would God take her now? Nothing about it made sense. She was healthy and vivacious. She had such a zest for life. Her heart and home were always open. She adored her husband and girls and was totally committed to their well-being. Always an enthusiastic supporter of her girls’ sports, she cheered them on at all their events. There was always a smile for everyone, and often her uninhibited laughter made others laugh, too.
So what was God thinking?! Surely he could have taken someone who was sick and suffering, alone, old, and wanting to go instead of her in the midst of her happy life. What about her faithful, loving husband who treasured her? Where does he go from here? What about her two daughters, both very recently engaged? How will they plan weddings without their caring mother? On their wedding days they’ll see that empty seat in the front row next to their dad and swallow a lump in their throat.
This is a deep subject and too much for one small blog, but I am sharing here three thoughts that have helped me in difficult circumstances. Maybe some of these thoughts may help you when painful things spring into your path.
Either God is God, or he isn’t. My view of God must be bigger than my problems and doubts. I must willingly acknowledge that ultimately God is in charge. When Job suffered loss upon loss, he understandably complained to God. Part of God’s answer to him was simply that God knows infinitely more than humans do and from that higher vantage point, he rules. Since he created us, only he knows what is best for us. Since he created us, only he has the power to make things turn out right. We’re limited in our knowledge. We have no idea what will happen in the next two minutes, much less in our lifetime. He knows the end from the beginning. There is no time with him. He is the eternal I am. He was the I am in the past, now, and in the future, he is always the I am. We’re limited in our understanding. We don’t even know ourselves accurately. He understands every human’s thoughts and intentions. Nothing is hidden from him. We continually are discovering amazing things about our world, and Space. Yet he brought into being and maintains the cosmos by simply speaking. We’re limited in our love. Our love wears thin when others hurt us. He has infinite love because it’s his nature to love and from that love, he ordains what comes to us. Our power is limited. How many good intentions have we left undone? If our power over ourselves is lacking, how much more lacking is our power over others, the forces of nature, or the forces of evil? But he is the sovereign Ruler of the Universe. All powers are nothing compared to his. He will accomplish all his good purposes and nothing can long stand against him.
“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” Psalm 33:11
“The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.” Proverbs 16:4
“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” Psalm 145:13
God allows bad things for good purposes. His intent is always loving toward those who trust him. Everything that happens is planned to help us. Nothing is random or senseless. (Even a sudden, untimely death). Everything has a good purpose. The hard things are usually the things that form us into his desired better versions of ourselves. Comfort and ease don’t challenge us to change. But walking through the darkness holding tightly to the hand of our Savior teaches us how to live like him.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son. . .” Romans 8:28-29
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Joseph to his cruel brothers in Genesis 50:20
It’s a broken world. God gave mankind the precious gift of freedom. . . freedom to choose right or wrong. But since the beginning, we have often chosen to do wrong. And there are consequences for wrongdoing- both for our own wrongdoing and for the wrongdoing of all of humankind. When Adam and Eve bowed to evil instead of God, the world broke and dark cracks began moving outward right up to us this very day. The perfect Paradise on earth was closed and no one has been able to re-enter it. The deceived couple was expelled and all of us have been living east of Eden ever since. By their disobedience, Adam and Eve opened Pandora’s box of heartache, pain, death, difficulties, and darkness. No one escapes. It is the nature of our existence until we leave this earth. But in the meantime, we can have a positive outlook because we are on the winning side! It’s a broken world – but only until God remakes it.
As Randy Alcorn wrote, “saying “Cheer up” seems naïve, remember someone else—Jesus—said it first: “I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me. In this world you will have trouble. But cheer up! I have won the battle over the world.” John 16:33
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 21:4-6