It is What it Is

This morning I woke up with a song playing in my head.  It is a song by Matt Redmond called “Blessed be the Name.” Sometimes walking with the Lord is like a radio station that plays in your spirit man all the time.  I call the station WGOD.  I hear songs, scripture, and revelation all the time.  I have learned to live with it (it’s actually not all that uncommon; I have heard many people talk about the same thing). It’s a background noise to which I am not always paying attention.  This morning I was tuned in bright and early.  I stopped to listen because I felt the nudge in my spirit that God had something to say. I knew it was important; the Lord does not make small talk, nor does he chit chat.

                Redmond’s song is a scripture reference to Job 1:21 which states “and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." It is Job’s response to God permitting his children, and property to be taken away.  I admit, I became a little nervous.  “Lord, is something about to go down? Do I need to be ready?  My sister and I had just had a conversation about our parents’ health, and we are both very concerned about what the near future may hold. I have been through the deaths of three people that I loved and cherished literally one month apart from each other over the last three months.  I am still grieving the losses. One death I expected; the others were a complete surprise, so I am just a little gun shy concerning trouble right now.

  The Lord said, “If I did decide to take your mother or father today, what could you do about it?”  I shook my head.  Nothing.  I could do not one single thing about the decisions of the Lord. God is sovereign.  That means He does what He wants to do, when He wants to do it, and He is under no obligation to report to or consult with any of us.  He sometimes involves us in the process; however, in the end He retains absolute power.  It’s hard to accept that you can pray and fast, do everything right, but still lose the house, the car, the job or the family member.  Some storms we create ourselves when we try to control the direction of our own lives.  Other times we are like Job—unaware that in another realm there is a pre-meditated storm that is being prepared for us. To know that the storm comes not because of our disobedience or rebellion, but because of our faithfulness and integrity makes it that much harder to accept or understand.  It doesn’t seem very fair does it? I can think of a LOT of people who “deserve” hardship, but even the person with the most intimate relationship with the Lord struggles when God permits bad things to happen to good people.

                I was thinking about that when I said to God:  “Lord, it kinda sucks that good people get really bad stuff happen to them, and it seems that those who are wicked seem to get promotion, opportunity, and favor.  I am no hater, but how do I minister to people about your sovereignty when you permit something to happen in their lives that is devastating? How do I minister to myself?"

                The Lord’s voice was gentle, but firm.  “Renita, I do not need you to defend my decisions, nor will I defend my decisions to you.  My thoughts are not your thoughts, Child. My ways are not your ways,” He said, referencing Isaiah 55:7.  Even when you don’t understand, I do understand.  That has to be enough for you and for anyone that you encounter.  Even when you can’t understand why I do what I do, you have to trust Me. I see your entire life even before you take your first breath in the world. I know when you make bad choices; I know when you make good choices.  I also know how some things will affect your life, and how you will respond to it.  When I permit difficult circumstances in your life, I have already weighed the trouble versus the results, and I make a decision based on what good can come from your life despite the hurt that the circumstances will bring.  I don’t make these decisions lightly, Child.  When you are broken, I am broken; when you are disappointed, I am disappointed. I dislike seeing you grief-stricken, but I am willing to permit it, if I can see a benefit in the outcome. That is what you must trust.  I can and will take the most devastating situation and turn it around for your good. Oh, and Child, I am God enough to handle your fear, your disappointment, and even your anger.  I will love you through all of it. It’s not easy; it is what it is.”

  I sighed. When I was younger,  I thought Job was being super deep when he made a declaration to bless the Lord through his brokenness.  I could not imagine anyone being okay with God taking everything away.  However, as I have grown in the Lord, and especially since I have experience now a countless number of Job moments, I can see why Job said what he said.  It’s not that Job was just so holy that everything that happened to him didn't hurt.  He practiced what some of us take a while to learn; acceptance.  Acceptance isn't nonchalantly shrugging our shoulders and walking away.  Acceptance says, “Lord I am struggling with this, but I am willing to walk this out with You, and let go of all my pre-conceived notions of what should, would, or ought to be.  It’s enough for me to take this situation at face value, and to give You the opportunity to show me Your grace in it.”

  There is no pat answer to trouble. It’s insensitive and almost arrogant to assume that there is.  But we do have God’s grace to see us through to the other side—and we do have faith to know that there is the “other” side to look forward to.  David said it eloquently when he said in Psalm 27: “I would have fainted if I did not believe that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.” He did live to see God’s goodness, and we will too.