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It isn't fair! Why did this happen?! I prayed; I pleaded. But I guess God's answer was "no". 

A little less than 30 years ago, I thought my life was pretty perfect. I had a good job. I was in a happy marriage. My husband and I loved and cared deeply for each other. We were the best of friends. Together we bought a house in the country. We set it all up so I could bring my horse home and got a second horse to keep the first one company. Just what I had been dreaming of since I was a young girl. My perfect life lasted about 5 weeks. Then, my husband had a massive heart atack. I prayed that he would recover. I promised to do everything I could to help him get better. But that is not how the story goes. He died within 3 days. I don't recall being angry at God. If I am being honest, back then, I had my doubts that God was real, or if real, did he really care about me? There's a lot of people in the world. God would be quite busy caring for each one of us. My husband's death was an act of nature - His body failed him. We didn't see it coming.

Since that time, I observed other situations where it seemed a family or individual was doing everything right. They really knew how to create a good and perfect life. And then tragedy struck ... an illness, a los, a vast mountain in their way. A theory started to form in my mind. Maybe on Earth we are just not meant to have a perfect life? Our perfect life awaits up in Heaven and we arn't there yet. Our days on Earth have their fair share of pain. suffering, sadness and times of testing. If everything was perfect, whatneed would we have for Heaven, or for God even? We'd have Heaven on Earth. But Heaven and pure goodness don't exist without God. And Heaven, or for God even? We'd have Heaven on Earth. But Heaven and pure goodness don't exist without God. And Heaven is where God dwells. Earrth is an "in-between" place. Sure, we get glimpses of what Heaven would be like, but we have phases that feel like we are going througn Hell. 

Just because we will face trouble on Earth doesn't mean we should give up hope. We don't know God's plans. God wants to draw us to His side. We are not forced; we have a choice what to believe and whether to love and trust God. A friend sent me a text the other day. In part, it was about someone asking God to make their path easy. God said, "No, easy roads do not forge warriors. I set mountains before you so you would disvcover your strength." They asked, "open every door I desired." God said "No, some doors look like opportunities but lead to emptiness," When they stopped asking God to make their comfortable, but asked God to use them as God sees fit, finally, God said "you get it." In John 9:1-3 we learn about a person blind at birth, Jesus says that no sin caused this but he was born blind so the works of God might be displayed in him. 

Don't give up hope. Your test could become your testimony. Your mess could become your message. Pain could create purpose and compassion. Your trouble could be your triumph. A loss could become a lesson. Your misery could become your miracle. So, keep asking God to meet your needs even if you are told "no". God's will is to guide and prepare you for the ultimate destination - for a perfect life with God in Heaven. 

Kerri LeVanseler.