#Day 4: 

Has your life gone the way you expected it?

This is a hard question to answer, and to be honest I was dreading writing this post today. However, I promised to be open and share my life with you all. Perhaps God will use my honesty to touch one of your hearts today.

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So, in answer to the question ... Most certainly not.

I'm not sure if any of you know what life has been like for me & my family over the past 2 years. In short, it has been the greatest test my faith has come up against in my whole life. What do you do when your amazing 21 year old brother never comes home from his holiday to America? What logical explanation can you make in your mind for God not choosing to heal him? What do you do when life feels like it is crumbling all around you and everything is too much to bear?

Well ... what do you do?? 

You take one day, one hour, one minute, one breath at a time - all the while trusting in the unfailing character of God. The God that promises that He "works for the good of those who love Him". He who promises to "never leave, nor forsake" me, and who tells me, His daughter, that He will not give me more than I can handle.

Really, Lord?? Not more than I can handle? How can I trust these promises to be true? How can I say, wholeheartedly, that taking Peter to be with Him is for good? How can I know, in my heart, that God is truly in control of my life like He says He is?

How?

Because of what was done on the cross.

On the cross, God displayed the greatest sacrificial act of love. Love that led Him to let His son die, so that His enemies could live. Who does that?? No one. Very rarely would anyone die for someone they loved, but for one of their enemies? Never.

On the cross God showed that He really does do the best thing for those who love Him. He also knows the extreme pain I feel in losing Peter, because on the cross, He also lost His son. And through it all, He tells me that He sees every tear I cry and stores them up in a bottle so I don't have to drown in them.

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But through the tears, the pain, the brokenness, there is hope!

Oh, the most glorious hope that becomes 
more beautiful with every passing day.

"So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 msg

And because of this, I praise God. I know His word, His promises and His character to be true. Even though all my questions won't be answered here on Earth, I can say with all my heart, that God is faithful to all of them and truly works for the good of his sons & daughters.

Image via mediacache

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him". James 1:12

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If this has stirred something in you today and are in need of prayer or someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to contact me via ittybittypolkadot@yahoo.com.au

And remember ... 
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning". Psalm 30:5