When Circumstances Seem Against Us

It's so easy to speak of God's providence when life makes sense to us. When things go as planned. When evil is recompensed and goodness is blessed.

But life doesn't normally go as we plan it. We endure hard providences that sometimes leave us questioning what's going on behind the scenes. Is Someone still directing, or are we left to ourselves?

Praise God that even though we can't always answer the "whys" behind God's plans for us, we can know at least these things....

~He's working it for our good.

~He will never leave us or forsake us.

~He's making us more like Christ.

~His ways are beyond our understanding, and that even if we knew the "why", we'd still be tempted to put His wisdom on trial.

~Our trust muscles grow and bulge under the weight of affliction.

~Every affliction is an opportunity for God to display His glory and power and provision and for us to learn to sing His praises better and better.

~He is full of compassion and mercy and grace. He is trustworthy and faithful.

~You can have a thankful heart and peace in the midst of your trial. By His grace.

~We store up Ebenezers. We tell of God's mighty deeds to our children and their children.

All we have to do is search the Scriptures to think of many things we CAN KNOW when we feel like we know nothing but heartache and disappointment.

Those of you who know my cousin, Michele, know that she has battled multiple myeloma for over eight years. You've prayed for her as she has been preparing for her fourth stem cell transplant. You prayed for her husband,David ,as he suffered from pancreatitis and was hospitalized for over four months. You prayed for me as I recently made a trip to Utah, where she's getting treatment, to help them out while they were BOTH hospitalized.

If you know of my cousin, you know I love that girl. You know she's like a sister to me.

God did amazing things on that trip, and now, after receiving the most unexpected news, we beg Him for another miracle.

Michele was just told that she is VERY high risk for this transplant. The chemotherapy has damaged her heart, and of course, she has continuing kidney issues. Doctors love statistics, of course, and Michele's been told she has a 50/50 chance of surviving this. If she does survive, she might experience many complications.

Her other option is to return home and live out the rest of her life.

They tell her that would only be a couple of months.

Michele is going through with the transplant. We already see evidences of God's amazing provision, and we're asking Him to get Michele through this procedure and put her in remission.

We're asking you to pray with us. Pray with faith, not wavering, remembering that nothing is impossible with God.

And please pray for a heart that surrenders to God's will, no matter what that might be. Pray for peace and calm and a strong sense of Christ's presence. Pray for a deep and sweet communion with the LORD. Pray for increased faith.

With tear-filled eyes that are fixed on Jesus and heavy hearts that remember His faithfulness, we thank you in advance for the sacrifice of your prayers.

"If we do not believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all."
~C.H. Spurgeon

With love,