A Redeeming God

Last night I had the opportunity to get together with a friend of mine who is going through a really rough time in her life. Certainly not something she would have chosen had she been given a list earlier in life of things she would choose to endure. Actually, I have had that same opportunity with a number of different friends over the years and I have always come away in complete awe of who God is and how he can take any circumstance and redeem it for his glory. The 3 particular women that I am thinking of have had to face hard times, really hard times, all with their own unique set of circumstances. Each of them has shed many tears over the heartaches that have come. I have cried right along with them. Each of them loves the Lord. And each of them has had a choice. They could get really mad at God, and maybe they have. They could ask God why they had to go through this pain, and they probably do. They could have pity-parties and withdraw from everyone. Who could blame them? Finally, they could turn their backs on their God, their Maker and Creator, the One who loves them more than anyone else possibly could. And they have not! Last night, as in the past, I came home rejoicing and in amazement at how God loves to take ugly situations, sad situations, really REALLY hard situations and redeem them. These women have shown me what it means to love the Lord. These women have shown me what faith truly does look like. These women have pointed me to a loving God that hasn't promised an easy life but has promised to be with you no matter how difficult the road may be. He promises to carry you. He promises to uphold you. He promises never to leave you. He promises never to stop loving you. I am so blessed to have these women in my life. To have this glimpse of what true faith looks like, faith during the hard times. I always wonder what my faith would look like if those circumstances happened to me. And they may. But will my faith sustain me? Will I have the strength and hope and trust in my Lord as these women do? Each of them would say they are not strong. Each of them would say their hope and trust is shaky. But each of them is testament to the saving power of Jesus Christ. To the hope that only he can give. Has their situation changed? No. Have they changed? Absolutely! I am so thankful to have these women in my life. And I can only pray that when the trials come to my life that I will become as pure gold, just as they have.