SEASONS
Do you ever feel like life is just full of hills and valleys? Well, it is. We have moments of pure joy and sometimes in the same day, we suffer tremendous loss. There have been seasons where I truly thought I could not be any happier. And then seasons where I didn’t know how I would put one foot in front of the other.
God allows things to happen to us sometimes so we can learn to be dependent on Him for our next breath, for our joy, for our peace. The Bible, which happens to be my favoritebook, says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I know, I know. That may seem hard to believe when you watch a love one pass away or maybe when God doesn’t answer that prayer you’ve been begging Him to answer.
Maybe if I shared a little bit, you might could relate. Rewind to 2020 when Covid had just hit America and the world seemed to have lost its balance. My husband’s mom, one of my best friends, had been needing to have a very serious surgery. The surgery was postponed by the doctor numerous amounts of times. It would get to the week of the surgery and bam, postponed again. Finally, the week had come where the surgery had not been postponed. My husband and I, his parents and his sisters made the 3-hour trek to the city where the surgery would take place. The night before the surgery we had a fish fry with his family. I watched my mother-in-law hug all of us separately and whisper what we didn’t know then would be her last words.
The surgery did not go as planned. For one solid week, we prayed and still believed that God could do the impossible. We knew God could heal her body at any moment, but He chose not to. We were in the room when she took her last breath. We were all devastated to say the very least. I watched my husband, the toughest man I know, weep for his momma. I watched her husband cry for his best friend and companion. I watched my sister in laws cry for their momma. I watched my nieces and nephews and family grieve over the “rock” of our family.
I think questioning God’s reasons are normal for us has humans. God is so gracious and loving that He welcomes our questions. He knows we don’t understand, and He doesn’t expect us to. God is big enough and human enough to handle our disappointments, frustrations, and even anger towards Him. He is a relatable God.
Months leading up to her surgery, I witnessed my mother-in-law draw so close to God. She was reading her Bible, wanting to go to church, listening to sermons and asking questions about Jesus. You could see the change in her eyes, the way she talked and how she acted. God knew all along that she wouldn’t make it and yet He was gracious enough to continue loving on her and calling her to Him up until her last breath. He even allowed her to see one more of my husband’s birthdays. The word that kept coming to me after she passed was, “gracious”. What a gracious Heavenly Father He is.
Since God works all things together for our good and His glory, I wonder what good came out of the death of my mother-in-law. The first thing that comes to mind is, God had been drawing her to Himself for months. I know she was saved and now in the arms of Jesus in Heaven. That for myself is “good” enough! While my family and I wish she was still here, there is no better place she could be. I don’t think that we have seen all the good that has come from her passing, and we may never see it all on this earth. I choose to believe that God’s Word is true, and His timing is perfect. He gave me so much peace after she passed. Peace that only can come from above. Peace in the midst of heartbreak and grief.
Maybe you are struggling today. Maybe a loved one has passed, and you don’t see an end in sight because the grief is so heavy. God can give you His peace in an instant. His peace that surpasses ALL understanding. Ask Him today to heal your broken heart. Ask Him for his peace. He is so willing and able to meet all of your needs. It would give Him great joy to bless you with those things and to hear your voice. The pain and heart ache won’t last forever if you allow Jesus to carry that burden for you. After all, it’s just a season.
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