I received bad news, and it took my breath away. Something I feared to the depths of my core became reality. As my mind tried to process this new development, I felt as if the God I served betrayed me; it was all a cruel joke and I couldn’t understand why.

As I struggled to grasp what was happening, I did not feel loved by my Creator. “How could You let this happen, Lord? Have we not suffered enough? Have I not been serving You, trusting You, and living life the way You want me to?”

And yet, because of years spent studying God’s Word and the circumstances I have witnessed in my life, I know He loves me more than I can ever imagine. I know He loves my family more than I do. And I know He has not betrayed me. He sees the big picture and knows exactly what He is doing. My job is to trust Him no matter what. By the grace of God, I will not turn my back on Him and choose bitterness. I will hold tightly to my faith in Him and His perfect will and He will generously give supernatural peace and hope and strength.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” Romans 5:3-5 (The Living Bible)