If you live at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia then you have a gorgeous backdrop for the physical part of your life. But we are no different from the rest of the world when it comes to hard things happening that are hurtful and confusing at times.
I read somewhere recently that in every situation that occurs in our lives, two stories are happening simultaneously: the one we see, and the one God sees. I believe that. Sometimes nothing seems to be going the way it should. All we can see are loss and pain, and so discouragement sets in. Our life appears to us to be a failure, if not an outright disaster.
But is what we see with human eyes, the complete story? I don’t think so. What is happening to us is no doubt real, and yet it is only part of what is real. Bible stories such as those that tell of Daniel being tossed to the lions; Joseph being sold into slavery; Paul being beaten, shipwrecked, and stoned; and of course Jesus, the Savior – dying instead of establishing the Kingdom of God; all exemplify this truth. When our lives look to us like they are falling apart, God’s story is right on track.
I doubt the people in history like those above, felt the reality of God’s hand at work, at all times. But we can look at their lives, and even past incidents on our own and see that what Genesis 50:20 says is true: What the world and the enemy intend for our harm, God is using for great good!
To believe this requires trust in a Being far beyond our understanding; a Being good and wise beyond compare. To believe this means to let go of our dreams and rest in the knowledge that the dreams God dreams for us are far better than those we could imagine for ourselves. (Ephesians 3:20,21)
So the next time it feels like your world is out of control, remember that is only the story that you see, but there is a bigger, truer one…the story that God sees and is working out for the very best possible ending!
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