Seeing the Good Amidst the Difficulties—The WHY
How would we characterize the world where we live? Would we see the pleasant and good points—OR—Would we see the hindrances and struggles that go against what WE think of as we consider “for our good”?
I now sit in the terminal, after hours of waiting for a new flight. I knew the “WHY” I felt compelled to go, and everything seemed “a go” until last night—a canceled flight. So, like most, I scrambled to find another option. I called the 1-800 number and waited.
I called the 1-800 number and waited some more.
I called the 1-800 number and waited AGAIN for an agent to assist and answer my questions.
Then, I listened to my intelligent husband and let it go so that I could get some rest, praying as I placed my head upon the pillow near 1:30 for God’s guidance and peace. He gave me exactly what I needed.
At 3:47, God shook me awake (or maybe it was my back hurting or my bladder, but I will give the wake-up call to God). So, I put on some coffee, grabbed my computer to see if maybe the airline had decided to reverse the cancelation. No such luck. So, you guessed it, I called again, but to my dismay, after 44 minutes of waiting, I decided to drive to LEX. Surely an alive person could give me assistance since a phone programmed assistance was proving unhelpful.
I am wondering after all this difficulty HOW we should see the world in which we live.
Frustrating. Maybe, but then we just react unchristian-like.
Impatient. Maybe, but then we just become agitated and upset and react not like God’s child.
Accommodating. Maybe, and then we receive smiles and help as we patiently await God’s intervention through the assistance of another as they move mountains with God’s help.
Pleasurable. Maybe, and then we have time to ask about their day, their lives, and their concerns as we share small talk as we both await the airlines 1-800 connection—TOGETHER.
There is much to be said about waiting for something that is totally beyond our control. Yes. Waiting for a caller to take us off hold and to finally engage us in a conversation has the ability to reveal those things we TOTALLY CANNOT CONTROL. We are left doing the only action left for us to do—we pray & we wait & we ask others to join us in prayer.
I am so fascinated by the narratives of the lives we read inside God’s Word, for in the Bible, David and Paul (among so many others) spoke of waiting for God’s intervention and His goodness. Do not only see the words of this blog but believe in the mighty goodness of Almighty God.
In the Old Testament, David wrote of God’s amazing hand of intervention—
“How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!”
(Psalm 31: 19)
Did we catch that? David spoke of goodness (all God’s) and His divine hand of provision. David helps us see this truth through the use of the word YOU—GOD’S—5 Times!
Then in the New Testament, Paul spoke of God’s goodness amidst our frustration and affliction—
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen; but at the things which are not seen;
for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
(2 Corinthians 4: 16-18)
Seeing the Good Amidst the Difficulties—Nothing is too difficult for God to accomplish, and I firmly believe the prayers lifted of faithful brothers & sisters in Christ have helped me find God’s peace through this adventure. No, I am not yet on the plane, but I do now sit inside the terminal among the other travelers.
This adventure of frustration, affliction, adversity, difficulty, and waiting will give me words to say as I witness to the goodness and amazing way God orchestrates our lives.
Without any doubt—God knows the WHY, and we just need to trust Him.