Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Grief
Reasons Outside Our Sight Lines
by Randy Alcorn
It was good for me that I was afflicted,
That I might learn your statutes.
PSALM 119.71 (NKJV)
By God’s grace, Nanci fixed her attention on His attributes. Only eight months into her cancer journey, she wrote,
“I honestly would not trade this cancer experience to go back where I was. These last months have been used by God to propel me into a deeper understanding and experience of His sovereignty, wisdom, steadfast love, mercy, grace, faithfulness, immanency, trustworthiness, and omnipotence.”
Psalm 119.71 says, “It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” If affliction was good for the psalmist, then withholding that affliction would have meant withholding good. The universe is first and foremost about the purposes, plans, and glory of God. God sees eternal purposes and plans and knows ultimate good in ways we cannot.
Our sovereign God weaves millions of details into our lives. He may have one big reason, or a thousand little ones, for bringing a certain person or success or failure or disease or accident into our lives. His reasons often fall outside our present lines of sight. If God uses cancer or a car accident to conform us to Himself, then regardless of the human, demonic, or natural forces involved, He will be glorified.
“Oh great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed” (Jeremiah 32:18-19). God is at work behind the scenes, and one day we will understand our sufferings hidden purposes.
Written with permission by Randy Alcorn
and Eternal Perspective Ministries.
http://www.epm.org/
Excerpts taken from Randy Alcorn’s Blog.
Please learn about Randy’s new booklet to
be released this summer, Grieving with Hope.
https://store.epm.org/future-products/
On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky
