…trust promises, not providences.
This week I've had multiple conversations with people who have family or friends who are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. And the shadow is dark and foreboding, filled with more questions and uncertainties than just the matter of death.
One writer says that when the bitter experiences of life emerge, trust promises, not providences.
That is, don't come to conclusions about the love of Christ for you based solely on the circumstances of your life, but base your conclusions on the absolute promises of God.
It reminds me of the hymn written by poet William Cowper:
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;…
Judge not the lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
Into our lives, God regularly brings darkness, affliction, and even the sins of others to shape us into His image. No matter the harshness of the darkness, He is working a gracious plan to effect His grace in our lives. That is a truth I need to hear and heed when death is interjected into my life — and when any form of "discomfort" afflicts me.
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