Joy despite circumstances. Joy despite circumstances. Keep repeating. Joy despite circumstances. God sure knew what He was doing when He gave me my word-for-the-year. Joy. Despite. Circumstances.
Housing bust. High unemployment. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Floods. Nuclear fallout. Political unrest. No fly zones. And much closer to home, the pregnant daughter of one of my dear friends lost an almost full-term baby yesterday. The words grab at my throat and unleash a torrent of tears.
Someone wrote on Facebook to forgive them this sentiment, but it was very difficult to see how a "good" God would allow so much suffering in the face of the recent events in Japan. He was being honest and I would be disingenuous if I didn't say that when I first heard my friend's news the "Why, God?" question flew into my head. But as my friend and I talked it was her words that brought me back to joy despite circumstances.
"I can only lean on the belief," she said, "that God knew what He was doing. That He is in control of the situation. That He saved our family from terrible grief over our daughter giving birth to a sick child that may have had problems or worse yet, died before she even had a chance to do much living."
Don't judge her words over not wanting a "defective" child; hear her heart. In the midst of agonizing grief ~"The worst day of my life" ~ she turns to God.
Praise You, Lord. You say that You will never leave us or forsake us. Thank You for comforting the brokenhearted. Thank You for covering my dear friend and her family in Your amazing love. Thank You for the immense peace in knowing that You are in control of this crazy life. Thank You for joy despite circumstances. Amen.
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