Bad things happen. That's inevitable.
What we believe in light of the bad things, however, is a choice.
We can choose to blame God for not protecting us or for not having our backs. We can even claim that He doesn't love us - doesn't care. We can focus on this ONE circumstance that was terrible and make it so large that it becomes a truth - our only truth - we can say, "this terrible thing happened - see, God is mean and unloving... this is the proof!".
OR...
We can choose to remember that bad things happen to every one - that it is a symptom of the temporary world in which we live. We can focus on the good that upholds the REAL truth we already know. That God is good, He is faithful, He is loving, and He is kind.
I'll give you an example.
My husband and I are currently walking through the emotional and physical pain of a miscarriage. A long awaited, prayed for, planned for baby - the completion of our family. The rainbow baby after a pregnancy loss two years ago. The light at the end of a long tunnel of a couple of hard emotional years. But, instead, it drifted away after only a few weeks - taking several of my tears and a chunk of my heart along with it.
Now, I had a choice.
In the midst of my grief, because there is grieving and that is okay, what would I do with it?
What would I believe? What would be my focus?
I could choose to forget the steadfast, solid truth of God's goodness and love. Choose to put my hurt first - make it bigger than Him. Choose to blame Him, curse Him, or even hate Him.
OR...
I could choose to hold up my circumstance against the steadfast truth that I've known all my life. To view my circumstance in the light of God's word - His goodness - His love - His faithfulness. I'm thankful that is what I chose - because when I did that - my bleeding, broken heart still burst forth with gratitude - which began with a simple choice and a thought...
"How sweet God is to allow me to walk through this in the middle of a quarantine where the pace is slower, the wardrobe is leggings, and my husband is home!"
I allowed my thoughts to flow from there... and the thoughts of gratitude flowed forward so fast that my pen could hardly keep up.
- Our good Father allowed this to happen when there was stillness
- He gave me space to grieve this loss
- He surrounded me with my dearest friends who truly do stick closer than a brother - who stand in the gap. They have loved me, cried with me, prayed with me, and talked me through this. That alone is sweetness that brings tears.
- He gave us a house full of puppies to snuggle during this exact time.
- God allowed it to happen before we told our kids - sparing them from this pain.
I could go on and on... but you get the point.
I could have said, "God caused this terrible thing" and missed out on all the blessings He surrounded me with. Instead, look at the beautiful list.
We get to choose how we walk through things. We get to choose!!
I tell my oldest son when he has a bad thought that he should catch it like a basketball and hold it up against truth. God's truth. When we view the world through the lens of a good God - it changes everything!
What will you choose today? In the midst of your circumstance, what will you choose?
What we believe in light of the bad things, however, is a choice.
We can choose to blame God for not protecting us or for not having our backs. We can even claim that He doesn't love us - doesn't care. We can focus on this ONE circumstance that was terrible and make it so large that it becomes a truth - our only truth - we can say, "this terrible thing happened - see, God is mean and unloving... this is the proof!".
OR...
We can choose to remember that bad things happen to every one - that it is a symptom of the temporary world in which we live. We can focus on the good that upholds the REAL truth we already know. That God is good, He is faithful, He is loving, and He is kind.
I'll give you an example.
My husband and I are currently walking through the emotional and physical pain of a miscarriage. A long awaited, prayed for, planned for baby - the completion of our family. The rainbow baby after a pregnancy loss two years ago. The light at the end of a long tunnel of a couple of hard emotional years. But, instead, it drifted away after only a few weeks - taking several of my tears and a chunk of my heart along with it.
Now, I had a choice.
In the midst of my grief, because there is grieving and that is okay, what would I do with it?
What would I believe? What would be my focus?
I could choose to forget the steadfast, solid truth of God's goodness and love. Choose to put my hurt first - make it bigger than Him. Choose to blame Him, curse Him, or even hate Him.
OR...
I could choose to hold up my circumstance against the steadfast truth that I've known all my life. To view my circumstance in the light of God's word - His goodness - His love - His faithfulness. I'm thankful that is what I chose - because when I did that - my bleeding, broken heart still burst forth with gratitude - which began with a simple choice and a thought...
"How sweet God is to allow me to walk through this in the middle of a quarantine where the pace is slower, the wardrobe is leggings, and my husband is home!"
I allowed my thoughts to flow from there... and the thoughts of gratitude flowed forward so fast that my pen could hardly keep up.
- Our good Father allowed this to happen when there was stillness
- He gave me space to grieve this loss
- He surrounded me with my dearest friends who truly do stick closer than a brother - who stand in the gap. They have loved me, cried with me, prayed with me, and talked me through this. That alone is sweetness that brings tears.
- He gave us a house full of puppies to snuggle during this exact time.
- God allowed it to happen before we told our kids - sparing them from this pain.
I could go on and on... but you get the point.
I could have said, "God caused this terrible thing" and missed out on all the blessings He surrounded me with. Instead, look at the beautiful list.
We get to choose how we walk through things. We get to choose!!
I tell my oldest son when he has a bad thought that he should catch it like a basketball and hold it up against truth. God's truth. When we view the world through the lens of a good God - it changes everything!
What will you choose today? In the midst of your circumstance, what will you choose?
"But even if not, He is still good."
Daniel 3:18
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