A couple of weeks ago Aaron’s sister, Stefanie, and I were texting about the upcoming months and all the important dates they hold: (March 28th would’ve been our 5 year wedding anniversary, April 10th was Aaron’s birthday and May 5th will be Aaron’s 2 year anniversary of going home to be with Jesus). While we were texting I told her, “I still don’t understand God’s plan, but I’m so thankful to have Noraa!” She responded, “Will we ever understand? I wonder that?”. And I wrote, “I honestly don’t know that we will understand until we get to heaven!” This has been my response from the first bad report of the cancers return until now. So, God, like He always does, put it on my heart to find a better answer!
God brought me to Romans 8:28-29,
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his son, so that his son would be the first born among many brothers and sisters.”
Now if your like me I always do some sort of paraphrasing of verse 28, I always say, “God works all things for the GOOD of those who love him” and then I stop there, I don’t finish the verse or go on to the next verse. There is something so big I’ve been missing out on! There are two things in particular I want to focus on: “..and are called according to HIS purpose” and “He chose them to become like his son..” Wow. For our good and His purpose, he chose us to become like his son! But, in order for us to become more like Jesus we have to go through the trials, temptations and sufferings of this life. These challenges help bring us to the end of ourselves and sometimes leave us with no where else to look, but up. I just love this quote from Streams in the Desert, “This is not our home. We must never lose our skyward look. We must keep faith, we must keep hope, we must keep courage and we must keep Christ.” This kind of faith will lead to precious discoveries of who He is and will help us become more like Him. Becoming more like Jesus and having a deeper more intimate understanding of who He is, is ultimately the best thing for us, so how is this not for “our good”?
God knows far above our understanding what is best for us. It may not make sense why things happen the way they do, but His Plan is the best plan and he will bless it if we choose to accept it: “to become more like his son”. I can honestly say that Aaron and I both grew so much in our relationship with God through our suffering. He showed himself to us in ways we couldn’t have imagined and these “discoveries” of Him are what help me now confidently answer that, yes, I do know and understand God’s Plan.
” I ask no more the reason why,
Although I may not see
The path ahead, His way I go;
For though I know not, He does know,
And He will choose safe paths for me.”
– from Sunday School Times
We love each one of you and thank you so much for all of your support and encouragement!
Love:
Suzanne and Noraa
Running With Peace 