And Unhappy Endings

Not all endings are happy. I've watched someone very close to me struggle with a difficult situation for about three weeks now, and yesterday, the bitter end came. It is painful and I grieve, too, at the loss of something precious. I am confused because I thought I'd received God's assurance that it was going to work out. Have I misread His message?

Once again, I guess He is seeing a bigger picture than I can see, and by working out, He means something different than I'd hoped and prayed for. And right now, that hurts. However, I do know that also means His plan is even greater than I'd allowed myself to imagine. Though I am disappointed for this one I care about, I believe completely in the faithfulness of our Lord and that He loves her even more than I do and will "work all things for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His promise" (Romans 8:28). So I will cling to that promise today and watch for His Hand today and each day that follows for the revealing of His plan. It will be different than we'd thought, but it will be the best plan for her.

Yesterday, I had to remind myself "If this is the worst thing that happens today, it is still a pretty good day". Despite this emotional set-back, my loved one is healthy and alive. I can praise God for the ending of weeks of riding an emotional roller-coaster. Sometimes, knowing the worst is not as bad as not knowing. While it hurts, I think she is better off for having a final answer than trying to guess the meaning of every sentence. And soon, she will see that, too.

Today is a new day. But the same God is still in it and in control of it. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. On Christ, the solid Rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand." Sounds good to me.