Look again and see God

My sister friend is hurting. 

My sister friend is angry.

My sister friend is frustrated.

My sister friend is afraid.

My sister friend is worrisome.

My sister friend is in need of help.

 

She called me on Sunday and beneath the “chipper” hello I heard all those things above.  I heard them but waited until the real reason for her call to surface.  Chit chat. Chit chat.  Then she told me about another friend of ours who recently had a baby.  Her baby was healthy. No “defects”.  No hospitalization. No surgeries pending.  My friend revealed at that moment how very cheated she felt. Why did this happen to me?  Why me and not her?  Why did that one out of five babies have to be my son?  Her son was born with an imperforate anus, tethered spinal cord and a really good attitude.  He is so sweet.  Yet, his mom was unable to handle all that was coming to him.

 

At the time, I really had no answers for her questions. They were tough and to be honest, they still are questions that I have no definite responses for.  She feels alone in all of this and feels like life is unfair.  She feels God made a mistake in choosing her family to go through all of this.

 

There is no doubt that challenges are tough. You may be feeling the same way in whatever it is you are now facing.  A messed up marriage, wayward kids, health issues, financial strain, and the list goes on and on.  So what should you do?

 

Here was my response to her and now to you:

 

“You wonder why you have to go through this, but I urge you to soften your heart for I believe that you will never be the same. There will be in you an understanding and compassion for others who are also going through difficulties. You will be able to speak out of your own experiences and offer answers that doctors and nurses don’t know. You can tell others what is not written in a text book.   Even as you go through this, you will be able to say that God kept you in your right mind even when you thought for sure that you would have lost your mind.  You will be able to say, that even through tears you still stood.  This has not crushed you and it will not.  You will come from the rubble of what is now your life and walk away to a better tomorrow. 

 

God's grace will mean something new to you when this is all done. 

 

I pray for you my sister.  I pray God will strengthen you. I pray that when you see no one around to help you that you will look again and see Him. It is a constant fight to keep him in focus when daily cares - be it money health, food or clothing come to choke the life out of us and shift our eyes from him. But look again, you are not alone.”

 

You are not alone. 

 

You are not alone.

 

You are not alone. 

 

I am not immune to trials. I am not saying any of these things from a position above it. I am in the thick of my own trials. I am being pressed on every side – just like you. So, I can say to you, my friends, be encouraged.  God is right there with you. He has not left and you are not forgotten. Lift up your eyes and see His hand even now.  His grace is sufficient to help you through these trials. Look again my friend, he is with you.