He Understands

                                                                      

images borrowed from (In)courage.me

                                                                                                           
It seems like everywhere I turn there are hard things in life that I do not understand.  I do not understand why 50 year old women get Alzheimer's disease, I do not understand why babies die, I do not understand why children turn to drugs, I do not understand why humans take each others lives in rages of craziness. How can our fragile minds even begin to comprehend such things? 



Jesus said, "In this world you will have troubles, but take heart! I have overcome the world." He knew that we would have trouble understanding the hard things of life.  He knew that we would be heavy in heart at the things that just do not seem to make sense.  He knew......and He knows now......because He promises to never leave us or forsake us.

                                                                  
 I think He tells us not to lean on our own understanding because He knows our understanding is limited.  We cannot trust in the temporal things of the world, we have to trust in His unlimited understanding of the "big picture" of life.  But He doesn't leave us to just wonder and mourn.  Even though we do not understand His plan, He understands us. His understanding isn't a state of mind.....it is an active work.....He knows us from the depths of our soul because He is the One who created us.  Therefore, He is continually working in us through His Holy Spirit, to give us peace and comfort in those times that we do not understand and is transforming us in ways that we cannot be transformed otherwise. He teaches us to trust in HIM and not in the world, and to set our eyes upon the eternal things to ease the sorrows in the present. He draws us closer as we question, and as we are weighted down with sadness. He comforts us with His love, like a parent does with a child who has felt the sting of pain, and tells us that it's "gonna be alright"......because He knows.....

                                     
Over and over again, we will be faced with things that just tear our hearts out and cause us to shudder and shake our heads. But His promises are unfailing and even though we may not understand......He Does. 

And so, instead of focusing on the things I do not understand, I will have to make a conscious effort to look for hope in the things that I do understand.  I do understand that we serve a loving God.  I do understand that He is sovereign in all things.  I do understand that He is merciful. And I do understand that His grace is sufficient.  I take comfort in these things, and as I am comforted, I am able to help comfort others with the comfort that He has given me.
                                                                                          
May you find Comfort in His steadfast arms today