Here recently we have seen a good number of trials come our way. The Lord is good and he is using them for his purposes. I don’t always know why or how, but I know that he is faithful and good.
One specific area of this surprising blessing was an encounter with my 11 year old son, Luke. He had been quite sick and the morning after was just slumped in his chair. He said this to us, “Last night when I was really sick, I was just praying that I would not lose my faith in Christ.”
I cannot quantify the amount of heart work that did on me. But needless to say, I was richly blessed. God continues to surprise me with his kindness. He gives such grace while teaching lessons of dependence in Christ’s University.
Had not these various trials been looming large above us and doing their work among us then we would not have such a blessing of his work within us. So we continue to praise him and trust him as we learn together of his goodness, love, and mercy from his sovereignly ordained trials.
I think of the words of William Cowper’s hymn:
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.His purposes will ripen fasts,
Unfolding ev’ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.