Have you ever looked back and said, "ahhh, I see what you did there, God"?
The truth is, God be knowing the plan and the path all along - we just don't. As I first began to experience my medical conditions, there were times when I felt inadequate as an adult who needed her parents to move in with her while adjusting to living life with Chronic Pain.
I was overcome by the standards and expectations of the world that framed "independence" "bossing" and "living your best life" as everything opposite, my negative thoughts didn't help either. But, my parents' presence helped me live a well-balanced life while continuing to work, pursue higher education, and care for my child.
Plus, if I can be honest, I was still trapped in a toxic situationship web at that time, and them moving in helped me honor my boundaries, and begin to walk away from that situation for good.
Look at God! The tables have turned, where I am now a caregiver for my dad, who's been battling medical issues. God knew my parents, and I would need each other today.
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is not how I planned out my life. Perhaps there is something in your life that reminds you of something you didn't imagine in your original plan. But know this, God's grace is sufficient for those moments.
It's often in looking back that we are able to see how painful, confusing or unexpected situations were used by God to do something in and around us.
If we are His, we are in the best possible company that we can be. What we don't understand today, He knows fully. He knew back then, He knows now, and He will know in all our future circumstances.
We don't always understand things in the moment, but eventually, we see why He did what He did. Our trust doesn't lie in understanding it for ourselves today but in knowing and trusting in His faithfulness.
The path that we supposed is in our best interest, the one that seems to be full of roses but without thorns is not always what serves the most purpose in shaping us, and growing our faith.
Our lives are not only good times or not only bad times, but like roses laced with thorns, we know joy and sorrow, loss and gain, death and life.
It is the beautiful paradox of life that always leads us to Christ. To seek His help in our hurting, to shout His praise in our joy, to seek His comfort in our loss, to sing His name in our blessing.
In all things, our human decision, the events of life, He is sovereign, and He is intentional. He knows, and as long as He knows, friend, you are safest in His presence because He cares for you.
" Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" a few times last week. - Proverbs 19:21
A Prayer for You:
Lord, I am so thankful that You knew back then. When I wasn't able to understand or see any purpose in what I went through. Please help me to trust in your character when my circumstances don't seem to make sense. Help me to cling to You, and grow to look more like Christ as I choose your trust your character over my circumstances. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.
Be encouraged 💞
