THIS IS HOW WE OVERCOME

Your light broke through my night, restored exceeding joy. Your grace fell like the rain and made this desert live. You have turned my mourning into dancing. You have turned my sorrow into joy. Your hand lifted me up, I stand on higher ground. Your praise rose in my heart and made this valley sing. You have turned my mourning into dancing. You have turned my sorrow into joy.

Why do bad things happen? Honestly, it’s a question I can’t answer, but I believe God has a purpose for everything. My faith is in the fact that the Lord is sovereign: “For the kingdom is the Lord’s and He rules over the nations,” (NASB, Psalm 22:28).

When we’re in the middle of a trial, it’s hard to resist crying out, “God, why is this happening?” Sometimes we get an answer and sometimes we don’t. But we can be sure nothing happens by accident. We have His promise that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose,” (NASB, Romans 8:28).

Seeing in advance how God will work all things for our benefit can be very difficult, if not impossible. Our limited human perspective often doesn’t allow us to grasp His greater plan. However, the Father’s good handiwork is in everything – even our pain, hardships, and losses. He turns mourning into gladness and provides bountiful blessings and benefits from our darkest hours.

As believers, we must accept that things won’t always make sense to us. God says, “‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts,’” (NASB, Isaiah 55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to be.

Jeff