Why?

 "Why is this happening to me?"  That's a horrible question to have to ask.  I've asked it a lot.  I've also asked why terrible things were happening to other people, and spent a fair amount of time trying to make sense of it.  

If you believe in an almighty, all-powerful God, then you have to know He could change this if He wanted to.  If you believe in a God who knows everything past, present and future, you have to believe there's a really, really good reason He is allowing this to happen.  If you believe in a God who loves you with a love like no other, you have to believe He will provide for you while you endure your situation, and will never leave your side, and will bring you to the other side of your situation when the time is right. 

You may not know what God is up to, but He's not a random God.  He's got something planned and it's ultimately for your good.  You might not see it or feel it now, or might wonder how your situation could ever be used for anything even remotely good.  But you might possibly see it after this is over.  You might not see it until you join Him in heaven.  But trusting in the Lord with all your heart means remembering these things and making the conscious decision to put your faith in Him, even when your feelings don't follow suit.  Sometimes you just have to go with what you know and not what you feel.  Romans 8:28-29: He's working all things together for our good and to conform us to the likeness of Christ.  He won't leave you to go through your pain by yourself.

A Model of Faith in Crisis

2 Chronicles 20 

King Jehoshaphat was faced with a major crisis.  A huge conglomeration of three armies was quickly descending upon his kingdom.  Time was of the essence – so Jehoshaphat got busy.  Did he assemble soldiers and weapons?  No.  He got busy praying.  He called upon his whole kingdom to fast and pray along with him.  They gathered together at the Temple and prayed for guidance from the Lord.  He said, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”   And God gave them direction.

What timeless wisdom for handing life when we, too, are facing challenges.  

Today's Random Thought - How Do We Prepare for Tomorrow's Challenges?

 Today’s Random Thought:

It’s hard to be prepared for the difficult things in life that are going to happen.  We work hard and save our money in case of a job loss or unexpected expense. We take care of our bodies to avoid disease.  But really, no matter what it is that has gone bad – if it’s loss of a job, a beloved family member with a tough diagnosis, or situations that try our patience – the only way to deal with any of it is to keep our eyes on Jesus.  He will guide.  He will use it to accomplish His purposes.  He will bless us on the other side of it.  He will calm our souls if we trust Him and know that He not only knows what’s happening, but how He plans to resolve it, and is involved every step of the way.  He knows.  He sees.  He cares.