I learned awesome truth from two young college students.
My daughter was competing in a beauty pageant and returned from practice one evening a little discouraged. All of the contestants had amazing talent performances, and she worried she didn’t have a chance to win. Moments later her bubbly personality kicked in as she explained how the Lord’s sweet assurance in her heart had lifted her despondency with truth she personalized this way. “I’m not competing with anyone else for God’s will for my life.”
During a conversation with my son about the sovereignty of God, I expressed concern about possible outcomes to a situation. I’d been following Christ for decades, but my thinking about sovereignty was still a little fuzzy. His comment settled the issue for me forever. “If God’s not in control, who is?”
There’s plenty I don’t understand, but this I know: God is in absolute control. He created me for a purpose. And I’m not competing with anyone else for His will for my life.
I rest in that truth.
Disappointment and devastation may come, but I can trust God to use even calamity for good. I stand on the promise of Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Those hurts that keep us on our knees broken may produce the greatest nourishment–like manna from heaven to feed and bless a multitude.
I’m not making light of heartbreak. It’s painful. Confusing. Soul-wrenching.
Traveling through heartbreak, there’s an added danger. The enemy runs alongside, trying to steal, kill, and destroy our faith.
Our Father’s plan is to shower us with grace and favor. He doesn’t just run alongside. He leads the way.
I wonder is He designs difficult paths to give us a glimpse of His confidence in us. He expects us to cling to and praise Him, no matter the circumstances.
A thought to carry us through suffering: God must have a lot of confidence in me to trust me with this challenge.
“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30).
