Apr 22 2009
Life Happens
Someone once said, “Life happens.” Of course this phrase has been twisted to more colorful extremes, but the point remains. We journey through life thinking we are conquerors, the masters of our own fate, and then something happens which proves we are anything but!
It is human nature to assume certain things. When we are young, we assume we are indestructible, then a friend is snatched away, or sickness strikes, or something occur which completely changes the picture.
Perhaps however, we make it further down life’s road. Our friends begin to marry. We picture ourselves happily married with little ones, a pretty house, and a perfect mate. Then the picture changes. We do not find the perfect mate. We learn we can never have children. Our finances or our health or something else is not how we had dreamed it would be.
Of course this continues through life. We picture our children healthy, happy, and grown. We imagine growing old together. We imagine their mates and the pitter-patter of our grandchildren’s feet. Then an accident, an illness, childish rebellion, death, or something else changes the picture dramatically.
How are we to view these hard providences? Are they really hard providences? Maybe they are just chance happenings? Maybe bad karma?
First, we need to realize God does not define ‘bad’ the way we do. In fact, Scripture reminds us more than once what we define as ‘bad’ things are really ‘good’ things in disguise. Oh how well our Father can disguise the good!
Second, we need to remember nothing happens by chance. While we can (and do) play the ‘if only’ game - if only I hadn’t. . . if only they weren’t. . .if only she (or he) wouldn’t have. . . ‘If only’ can drive us into depression. It can rob us of our joy. It can lead us by the nose down a guilt-riddled trail. It is sin! There is no ‘if only’ because God makes no mistakes.
Third, we need to remember Who is in control. Life is not a closely matched battle between God and Satan. While evil exists in this world, it can only touch our lives when God gives the okay (remember Job and Joseph).
Fourth, we must remember God’s nature. While our trials are hard, they serve a purpose. Ultimately every trial we face is conforming us into His image, is teaching us how to really love others, is loosening our hold on this world, is teaching our hearts to long for our real home, is making us hate sin, and more.
May God work in our hearts so we can say with Paul, “. . .Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor 12:9). May we embrace our trials as powerful tools to recreate us in Christ’s image. May we rest in our Father’s care, knowing He has every trial, every trouble, every ‘hard providence’ in His control.
May we be empowered to face our trials as Paul, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Cor 4:8-10, 17)
God grant us the grace to get our minds around these truths, to embrace them with our hearts, and to cling to them with persevering hope. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7)
