IT IS WELL - even when it may not seem that way

“One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 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." Job 1:13-21

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

It may be a phone call, it may be a sudden illness or unexpected diagnosis, it may be a tragedy that you never EVER expected, it may be a natural disaster, it may be heartache beyond words, it may be the news of a failing marriage or a runaway teen, or a legal matter, or an accident, the loss of a loved one, the death of a child. When tragedy strikes, most people initially feel abandoned, betrayed, wounded, angry that God didn’t care enough to stop it from happening, but we must remember that although “life” changes, our God NEVER changes. NOTHING that happens on this earth will ever surprise God, He has already seen your ENTIRE LIFE, and knows every single moment of what will happen.. the good… the bad…. The ugly…. And the REALLY ugly… none of these things change the fact that God is still on His throne, and is still the loving Heavenly Father that we have learned about through scripture. Yes, God could intervene and change the occurrences or outcomes of tragedies, but when He chooses not to, we must and can only trust that He has a bigger plan. God promises that He will never allow something more than we can handle. He promises that ALL things work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Just because you are in ministry or are a committed Christian, doesn’t automatically mean that nothing bad will ever happen in your life. We attended Spirit West Coast recently and heard a small portion of a concert appearance by Steven Curtis Chapman’s two older sons, one of them being responsible for backing the family car out of their driveway and killing their little 5 year old sister. Such a senseless tragedy. Where was God when that happened, you may ask? This family serves the Lord and sings songs that change lives. As the young man shared with the audience, you could feel the sense of brokenness and grief even though it happened two years ago. I am SURE that had to be such a difficult thing to overcome, but they are moving forward in their service to the Lord, and sharing their hearts and their victories over the disaster in their private world. Their music did not stop, it only deepened to show the mercy and grace and faith of a family committed to following Christ, and singing It Is Well with my soul, no matter what. The devil would love nothing more than to see Christians turn away and blame God and show the world that God is not working in their lives when disaster or adversity strikes, but I tell you that the GREATEST testimony a believer can have is to show God’s Strength in times of weakness and brokenness. We must turn our faces into the wind sometimes and simply trust God to be God. God knows the gamut of your emotions; He is standing there in the midst of your hurricane, as the ground collapses under your footing, holding out His arms to hold onto you and never let you go. How can someone “make it” through a tragedy? They do it one moment at a time, and even if they are lying on the floor with their face in a puddle of tears, GOD is there in the midst of that pain, and will walk you through it. When Job lost everything, he fell to the ground and tore his robes, but his response was worship. Pause and consider that for a moment.

The hymn "It is Well with My Soul" is a beautiful reminder of what our response must be when faced with adversity and pain in this life. This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Horatio Spafford’s life that mirror those of Job in the Bible. The first was the death of his only son in 1871; shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially, then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Have, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died. He stood on the bow of the ship and looked into the deepness of the ocean and probably felt the depths of his own soul’s pain, and yet the words that flowed gave honor and tribute to his personal walk with God and his trust in God’s plan although it seemed that all was lost. The Spaffords later had three more children, one of whom (a son) died in infancy. In 1881 the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Israel. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony; its mission was to serve the poor. Horatio was a man after God’s own heart, much like David in scripture who suffered many losses and yet could pen the words of a majority of our Psalms that we have today in the Bible about God’s ever present help in time of trouble. When (not if) tragedy strikes, prepare now to know that you will trust God no matter what it looks like, no matter what the news…. God is God, and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. We must worship with Job when he lost everything: “may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:21. Learn to sing, “no matter my lot, it is well, it is well with my soul”! This is the secret to a life surrendered to God fully. To see Him as our refuge and our complete strength, and ever present help in time of trouble, no matter what happens in the seen and unforeseen moments of your life and those you love.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

here are the words to Horatio’s song to strengthen your hearts this day:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, You have taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste my day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall appear,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

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