The ultimate question is summed up in one word..."why." Why does God allow certain things to happen? If He truly is in control as the Bible says, why didn't he stop the earthquake in Haiti or the events of 9/11? There are no easy answers but there is a lingering truth that shines from the shadows and debris.
The song above struck a special cord with me. I understand it. I imagine most of you can pinpoint a time in your life when the events in your life were awful. A loved one was suffering from an incurable illness, died from cancer, your home was ripped from you like those in the South have experienced lately, you were fired or something you had worked for your whole life came to nothing.
In those moments, I have cried, questioned why God would allow these things to happen, but looking back, the Lord used those times of questioning and trials to show me Himself. They were mercies in disguise. A year ago, I moved home from college, no job prospects, rejected from several grad schools, a very low bank account, no community. Now, I have two jobs, a mentor helping me get my first book published, money to provide for my bills and expenses, and an amazing community group of girls who continually lift me up in prayer.
I have changed and grown in the last year because of all the ‘no’s’, redirects, disappointments, and new dreams. The trials of the last year were mercies in disguise to bring me somewhere so much better than I could have planned a year ago. The Lord’s plans for me are far better than my own. This is such a minor issue compared to the plight of those in Haiti or the grief of those who lost someone in the recent tornadoes, but because it was such a big deal to me, the Lord used it.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “’I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a HOPE and a FUTURE.’”
After the storm, there’s a rainbow. Sometimes you just have to look closely to see it. He is the great I AM of mercies in disguise. Will you trust him in the midst of your trials and disappointments? Will you look to see the imprint of His hand in the midst of your brokenness? There are no easy answers. Very few words will soothe the pain. But if His word is true as I believe it to be, then He is good in spite of your circumstance and promises a hope and future despite the chaos. There is rest and peace in understanding the goodness of this God. "Sorrow may last for the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5
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