June 3

Ordered Steps

The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand. — Ps 37:23-24 BSB

It’s a mistake to think of our Lord’s suffering as something that only happened in the past, a distant event in history. Yes, it happened then, but it continues now. He doesn’t leave us to carry the burdens of life alone. He shares our pain, grief, and weariness. “In all our afflictions, He is afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saves us.” As someone else put it, “He doesn’t stand far off, withholding help, but He is closer than breathing, inside the deepest places of our suffering, suffering with us, as if our pain were His own.” If we will only open ourselves to His sympathy and help, others will see that He is with us, even in the fire of our trials.

God is working in our lives to bring about the best outcomes, both now and in eternity. Even in the darkest moments, there is always a glimmer of hope. Blessed is the soul that focuses on that hope, trusting that it will grow until all the darkness is gone. Often, what seems like a disaster is actually the seed of future joy. If we had visited the earth in ancient times, we would have seen vast forests covering the land. But those trees were not destined to last forever. Intense volcanic activity buried those great trees deep in the earth. At the time, we might have thought, “Why this waste?” It would have seemed like a senseless destruction of beauty. But from that catastrophe, the buried trees became coal, providing light and heat for future generations.

Once, when I was visiting a friend in the country, he showed me the weather vane on his property and asked me to read the inscription. After a moment, I could see the words: “God is Love.” He then said, “I’ve learned that no matter what comes my way, it always comes from the direction of God’s love.”

Prayer

Help me to trust, O Lord, that everything in my life is from You, and that You have a plan for me, of which every event is a part. Amen.