Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. - Psalm 147:5 (NIV)
Alan had no idea the direction his life had taken could get worse. As he hung up the phone, the news echoed repeatedly in his vacant mind - cancer.
He stared blankly out the window as the wave of grief began its attack. Recently unemployed form a downsizing company, Alan's nerves were already splintering under the stress, and now this.
Barely into his 40's, he had suffered more than the average man should have to endure in a lifetime. He yelled at God, shook his fist at heaven, and collapsed into a dark depression as he mumbled, "Why me, God? Why now? Where are you? God, you just don't understand how hard this is."
Alan doubted God. God understands. God created this amazing world for us - and we turned on Him. God sent His one and only son to redeem the world, and we turned on Him.
God through Christ endured ridicule, mental, emotional, and physical pain delivered by masters of torture... for our sake. And we turned on Him. God through Christ suffered death at our hands. And we turned on Him.
God through Christ - in death - strangled hell by the throat, resurrected His life, and gave us eternal hope. And yet, we turn on Him. God understands what we face. He knows we will turn, that is why He continues to pursue us.
God understands everything we could possibly encounter. In the middle of hard times, we can be tempted to believe He just doesn't understand what we are facing. Don't give in to the temptation to give up on God.
Never give up... never doubt... God doesn't turn on us. He pursues us and offers us power to overcome! No matter where we find our rough spots. No matter how trivial or terrifying our difficulties will be - God is constantly pursuing us.
Our faith carries us through, only because God continues to be by our side... offering grace, hope, and strength in every breath.
THE RIGHT NEXT STEP:
- Over the next 7 days, spend 10 minutes each day writing down every small and large thing that troubles you. Then look for places where God showed up in the middle of the trouble. (think about people, decisions, reactions, attitudes, blessings).
PRAY: God, I don't always understand what happens to me. I wish life was wrapped up neatly and delivered with instructions. Teach me to accept you as the only way to live, so I never have to turn on you. Give me the awareness to see you in action around me today. Amen