It is hard to imagine that a broken heart is a part of God’s plan. How do we end up in places where our world is totally shattered and in pieces?
I fell on my knees this morning praying exactly those words. While the enemy of our soul seems to launch attack after attack, there is goodness in God. He will turn it all around and in the end, those who love God will win. But in the meantime, how do we count it all joy?
God sees us. He hears us. He knows what is just up ahead and what lies far into the future. But in the meantime…
Those four words are the hardest to say; because, in the mean time, we have to wait. We have to walk this journey. We have to carry the pain, and know He carries us.
When I was a little girl, I was walking in the woods with my brother. We were trying to get home because a storm was coming. While we both wanted to run, we knew it was better to walk so that we could be aware of our surroundings. Lightning struck about 100 yards just up ahead of us and split a very large tree down the center. We both just stood, staring at the tree which had fallen to the ground, blocking our path. My brother looked over at me and we both thought at the same time, if we had been running, it probably would have killed us both.
There are times in our lives when what we have planned doesn’t turn out the way we thought it would. As hard as it might be to do so, the victory comes when we can know that while we’re in the meantime, God is with us.
Everyone has a story. There are high points and low points to every life. Very few people make it through this life we are living without suffering. Some suffer more than others. While it is hard to understand how grief and pain and illness and loss can be wrapped up in the goodness of God, James tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” Paul writes in Philippians, “I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
And our Savior Jesus spoke of His pending death the words in Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
In all things, the victory is His. Whatever we walk through whether on the mountain top or in the depths of the valley, His Will is far greater for us than any strategic plan we could prepare or imagine. His plans are for us. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Goodness.
Mercy.
Promise.
Hope…all come when we put our confidence in Him – the author of our life story.
No matter what you are facing today – know that He grieves with you; His heart breaks with yours; He feels the pain of your sorrow, your disappointment, your loss. Hold fast. He is always right beside you.
