Image by Michelle Maria from Pixabay
A father loses his job. Again. An airplane falls, killing a loved one. A young mother loses her baby. A fire assails a home where a couple and their three young children sleep. The children escape, but their mother dies.
Hurricane Dorian devastates the beautiful Bahamas, leaving a pathway of death, loss and unimaginable pain behind.
“I don’t understand the purpose in this. Do you?”
A dear friend asked me this very question recently. This sweet and godly woman has gone through unimaginable pain and suffering for the past several years. Her honest question echoes in the hearts of all of us when life doesn’t make sense. When it feels like God has forgotten us. When we can’t find the purpose behind the pain.
Whether we voice it or not, the question remains: “What’s your purpose in this, Father?”
“No, I don’t understand it. I don’t. But I have to trust that God has a purpose. We just can’t see it yet,” I said.
Her question caught me off guard, but I answered her with strong conviction. I have walked with Jesus for long enough to know that He does have a purpose for every suffering He allows in His children’s lives. Indeed, I have experienced His purposeful design through pain and loss, and I can testify that He does make all things work together for our good and for His glory. I’ve proven this truth. I believe it.
But that does not ease the pain when we’re going through the valley. When life doesn’t make sense and seems to be getting worse instead of better.
[bctt tweet=”Believing God works everything together for our good does not ease the pain when we’re going through the valley. ” username=”PatHolbrook”]
As I continued talking to my friend, Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 came to mind:
“Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
Among all New Testament characters, the dear apostle knew pain like no other follower of Jesus at that time. He was blind, beaten, scorned, persecuted, shipwrecked, imprisoned and tempted. Even so, he responded with steadfast faith throughout each trial: “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Therefore, it seems only fair that God would remove this one issue that plagued Paul. He seemed to have had enough when he pleaded with the Father to remove the thorn in his flesh, whatever that was. And yet, even though we never see this giant of faith ask for relief before, God told him he should just accept it.
That would have been a tough pill to swallow, had God not explained why the “thorn” had to remain: so that God’s power (and purpose) would be perfected in Paul’s weakness.
It’s hard to look past our pain…
Indeed, it’s humanly impossible to understand how a disease or a death in the family can work together for our good. Only when we look back in our lives can we understand the higher purpose beyond each valley we crossed:
… Like the people who are impacted by the way we respond; silent witnesses that draw strength from our testimony.
… Like the unnecessary things that we end up leaving behind in the valley: Materials possessions that we used to value become unimportant; little things that we used to sweat over gain new perspective. Shackles of pride crumble.
… Like the Fruit of the Spirit, which grows in us IF we allow God to shape us in each valley, thus finding ourselves growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22).
… Like the pockets of rest that we find in the most unusual, unexpected places… things we used to take for granted: The smile of a loved one. The encouraging words of a friend. The pleasure of laughter. The importance of a loving touch.
… Like God’s divine provision for our material needs, or for just enough strength to keep on keeping on.
All these things are a reflection of His love and supernatural power, being perfected in us as we walk through our desolate places.
But there’s one more thing – one of the most important gifts in the valley:
Fireproofing our faith.
You see, it’s easy to trust God at His Word when we don’t have to prove it. When life is all roses and no thorns.
Yes, singing His praises is a piece of cake when life is easy. Reciting His Word is natural when the sun is shining outside.
But when the storms assail us… when our loved ones leave us, when our health fails us or our financial stability disappears… When there is no hope… and yet, we find hope against all odds and we can still find the strength to thank Him and praise Him…
Then and only then, can we say that our faith is true – tested and proven.
It’s when our everything runs out that we can prove Him enough.
[bctt tweet=”It’s when our everything runs out that we can prove Him enough. #RechargeWednesday ” username=”PatHolbrook”]
It’s through the trials and valleys that His power is perfected in our weakness… that His love is reinstated and our faith, refurbished.
You may not see it today, my friend. But you can trust that there’s a reason for your valley. One day you’ll look back and you’ll see the faces of the people you’ve impacted… … And the birth of a new purpose because you chose blind trust and kept walking, one step at a time, and against all odds.
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[bctt tweet=”LINKUP is open! #HurricaneDorian made me think about the storms of life… and the despair and confusion that we find when we are blind to the purpose of the storms. Join us?” username=”PatHolbrook”]
This is so good and so timely.
I recently read a definition of faith that included the words “operating without all the information we’d like to have.” And that’s truly the sticking point for me. If I was able to do all the research and pinpoint an answer to God’s ways that was based in data, it wouldn’t be called “faith.”
I love that definition, Michele! We walk by faith, not by sight… and that is truly the biggest challenge of the Christian life!
It always feels like a push and pull to me, this walking in hard places and having faith at the same time. I used to think that was wrong. Now I know it’s just part of the human process. So grateful for His grace along the way.
It is a push and pull to all of us at some point in time! Only as we see His hand at work more and more does it become easier to trust Him in the dark…
Thank you for linking up with us!
I love these truths. Sometimes, like Job, we may not know all the reasons why God allows something. But we can trust He is with us and using it for good purposes in and through us.
Amen, Barbara! Faith is the certainty of things unseen!!
Grateful for you!
I was born and raised in Nassau Bahamas. My Bahamian friend lost her lovely home in Abaco because of Hurricane Dorian. The devastation is palpable. I read a heartbreaking story about a 12-year-old girl who got separated from her parents in the hurricane and now her parents are steering at the fact that they may never get her back unless they have all of their government papers in order.
We live life forward and understand it backward is a theory by which I live. As you say so well in this post, God has a plan and a purpose for every storm including Hurricane Dorian. So, while my people of the Bahamas may not understand why now, they will later. That’s the way it’s worked in my life.
Oh, Yvonne! I am praying for the sweet Bahamian people! What a devastation. Unimaginable, and we can only see a fraction of it on pictures and video. We need to keep praying for them, that God will turn their mourning into dancing as His Hand sustains them in a mighty way. Your motto is beautiful because I believe that is indeed the vision of faith: Rejoicing for what we do not see, trusting ahead of God’s work in the Now.
Patricia, you handled this topic with grace and truth. I recently finished reading Bruce Martin’s book, Desparate for Hope. I highly recommend it. He says something like, “God is more concerned about perfecting you through trouble than protecting you from trouble.” Job is the example he carries through the book. Some storms just don’t make sense while we are in them. Actually, I believe God allows protects the quality of our eternity. That is why Paul could call his trials brief and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory they were accomplishing in him.
So true, Debbie! And oh! that quote!!! I will keep that. I have to check that book out!
Always so grateful for your wise words and encouragement, my friend!!
Yes, this is definitely when I need my faith the most! “It’s when our everything runs out that we can prove Him enough.” I’m thankful that God is always faithful to us.
Amen, Lisa! He.Is.Enough. I pray that this becomes the anthem of my life, more and more each day!
Always grateful for you!
I’m Bahamian and I lost a family member in the storm; my heart breaks for the immediate family. Here’s what I know – when you survive the storm as Paul did in Acts 27 it will become clear that He was with us and He keeps his promises to us; in turn, our purpose is simply to serve Him. But nothing makes sense until we look back.
Whenever I’m pummeled by a storm, literally or figuratively I hum this song:
I know the master of the wind
I know the maker of the rain
He can calm the storm
And make the sun shine again
I know the master of the wind
Oh, Nylse! I am so very sorry for your loss! I am saying a prayer for your family right now. I can’t imagine their pain… Praying that God will sustain them until they are strong enough to see He never left their side… as hard as it is to comprehend this Truth!
Blessings, sister!
It’s so hard sometimes, to see the purpose in the storm! But if we can just trust him, he will bring good.
Amen, Aryn! You are so right… it’s hard to see past the heavy clouds, but we know God always makes the sun shines again!
Thanks for linking up with us!
It is hard to look past our pain, but I’m glad you are writing about it. laurensparks.net
Thank you, Lauren! Only by keeping our eyes on Jesus can we conquer the mountaintop beyond the valley!
Thanks for participating!
“…singing His praises is a piece of cake when life is easy. Reciting His Word is natural when the sun is shining outside.” Yes, Patricia! Deep faith is fought for in the trenches. And a strong faith strengthens during life’s difficult moments and rainy days!
It’s so true, my friend! Never do we grow so much in knowledge and love for our Savior than when we experience His peace and love in the valley!
Love to you!