Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers

Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Our good?

A few days ago, one of my dear friends lost her younger sister unexpectedly, and I was reminded all over again of the suffering and hurt that we go through in this world. There is so much pain, death, disappointment, and hurt around us. It can make us wonder where God is and if He really cares about us. I know there are times late at night where I sit up in bed and demand answers from God. Mostly I just cry, but sometimes I almost yell at Him, asking Him why He didn't save Matthew and why He chose me to go through this pain. I tell Him that I don't want my life to look like this, I don't want to carry this scar for the rest of my life. I ask Him to at least show me what good is supposed to come out of this.

It's so hard to understand why Matthew died or why my friend lost her sister. I can't explain what God's doing in these situations, but I believe it when He says that He does everything for our good. I think C.S. Lewis puts it well when he says,

"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; 
we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be." 

"Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." 

I know that my pain has definitely roused me from apathy and made me more aware of both His presence and other's pain. 

Whatever God's purpose is in our pain, I pray that He shows it to us and then uses it to bless the world around us. 
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3 comments:

  1. we are the spencersSeptember 10, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    love you friend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AshleySeptember 11, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Julia, I can't imagine how utterly draining grieving can be. A friend who lost their daughter said that when they felt like saying, '"We have had ENOUGH." At those times GOD always shows me He is Enough.'

    I also adapted a sweet poem they had and though of you all...

    Matthew,
    I thought of you with love today
    But that is nothing new
    I thought about you yesterday and days
    Before that too.

    I think of you in silence, I often speak your name
    All I have are memories and your picture in a frame.

    Your memory is my keepsake
    With which I'll never part
    God has you in His keeping
    I have you in my heart.

    Praying for you! - Ashley

    "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."
    2 Corinthians 4:8-10

    ReplyDelete
  3. mmgarreauSeptember 17, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    Dear Julia,

    I could echo you in saying that my pain has roused me, perhaps not from apathy, but from control and plans for my life, and has made me more aware of His presence and others pain as well. This in itself is a blessing and answer to prayer. I want to be more like Jesus, and even he learned obedience through suffering (Heb 5:8).

    Thank you for sharing. Your honesty through this trial has blessed me.

    Love,
    Marie Garreau
    (Zeller)

    ReplyDelete

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