Heavy Heart

My heart has been heavy lately for the people of Myanmar, China, and the Chapman family. So heavily burdened that thinking about these heartbreaking situations literally brings me to tears. I have been thinking and praying for all the people lost, hurt, and broken due to the extreme events that have occured over the last few weeks.

While mowing my dad's yard this weekend (you read that right - ME mowing!?!) I was talking to God about these horrible situations. Knowing deep in my gut that He IS in complete control, but wondering why He would allow these things to occur. It made me think how often people wonder "How can you put your hope in a God that would allow such horrible things to take place?" After thinking about this for awhile, God said to me "How can you NOT?" You see, its in times like these - when the bottom falls out, when unforeseen disasters hit too close to home, when life's worst tragedies look us smack in the face - that if you DON'T put your hope in Him, what is there to hold on to?

I love His sweet promises..."No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame..." (Psalms 25:3) "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield." (Psalms 33:20) He promises to be our protector, our provider, our comforter. He desires intimacy with us and wants us to trust Him AT ALL TIMES. There is a peace that is inexplainable when we put our hope in Him, knowing deep down that as horrible and tragic as the circumstances may appear, He will somehow be glorified through it all.