It will strike everyone's life sometime.
And for some, it strikes more than once, maybe several times throughout their lifetimes.
As most of my readers know on March 21st my 11 year daughter died unexpectedly after an apparent minor illness.
It is now seven weeks or so later, and I am doing well.
There are times that grief hits me -- usually at a very inappropriate time (a time that I would not chose), but grief cannot be put in a cage. It will do what it wants when it wants. You gotta give it its freedom or it will never leave (and that would be a sucky life for sure).
A dear friend asked me how I was doing so well yesterday.
There is only one thing that makes it bearable, liveable, and dare I say, hopeful.
It is holding onto the truth that God is good is good, so very good. He is compassionate. He is faithful. He is merciful and all knowing. He loves me so much and wants only the very best for me.
So, how can my daughter dying be the very best thing?
I have no idea.
I have thoughts and possibilities, but I don't know.
I doubt if I'll ever know until I get to heaven.
But I know that I know that I know God is good.
And just like when I tell my kids to trust me when they don't get their way or when I ask them to wait or when I tell them there is a reason for me choose what I chose for them -- I ask them, You know I love you, right?
They answer, Yes.
Then they are at least at peace with my choice or my decision or whatever I do that affects them.
This is how we need to be with God.
When tragedy strikes God is putting His trust in us. He's trusting that we will continue to believe He is good even when life feels so darn bad. We can hold onto the truth that Father God wants good for our lives, not bad. He wants the best for us, not just average.
That is how you get through a tragedy.
That is how I've gotten through losing my daughter, and how I will continue to get through when the loss feels so darn empty and horrible.
God is good and He loves me.
God is good and He loves you.
He really really loves you.