It is inevitable that we will face trials and tribulations in life. The bible even tells us to “count it all joy,” when we experience these seasons.  (James 1:2)

Certainly, joy can be the last thing we are feeling when tragedy hits close to home, when the storms of life are raging all around us, or when the black clouds gather over us. It is a struggle to see the light of hope.

I am no stranger to these difficult times.

Unbearable grief, undeserved brokenness, unexpected disappointment, and downright unfair circumstances, have shown their face in my mirror.

My heart has experienced such unbearable heaviness.

I know what it is like to quietly weep, as I tried to fall asleep.

And unfortunately, I have had my share of the uncontrollable, “I can’t breathe”, ugly cry. When right words have very little impact, and all that could comfort my heart and soul was a good cry.

I had let it all out!

And, then I would ask the question –  “Why God?”

Recently, while listening to worship music on YouTube, I was introduced to the song, “It is Well” by Bethel.

I was not familiar with the original hymn,“It is Well With My Soul” by Horatio Spafford. My sister-in-law kindly shared his story.

Horatio Spafford experienced many traumatic events in his life. He lost his two-year-old son. Shortly after the 1871 Chicago Fire ruined him financially, he lost four daughters when a ship collided with a sea vessel and sunk.

His wife survived the shipwreck, and sent Horatio Stafford the famous telegram- “Saved alone.” Horatio had to cross the same sea that his daughters drowned in. And, as he did, he wrote “It is Well With My Soul.”

One would think, that his heartbreak would be too much for anyone to bear. But, a few years later, tragedy struck again.  After having three more children, he lost another son.

After having endured all this, Horatio, his wife, and two surviving daughters still moved to Jerusalem and faithfully served God in ministry. 

After hearing this all to similar Job story, I had a whole different appreciation for the words “It is Well With My Soul.”

When I went through my darkest days, the song, “Held,” by Natalie Grant ministered to me. Some of the lyrics are below.

Who told us we’d be rescued

What has changed and

Why should we be saved from nightmares

Were asking why this happens to us

Who have died to live, it’s unfair

This is what it means to be held

How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive

This is what it is to be loved and to know

That the promise was that when everything fell

We’d be held

What I learned from that season is that God doesn’t promise that everything is going to turn out okay, or that my prayers are going to be answered.

My mom wasn’t healed. If anything, things got worse for her.

Thankfully, God does promise his love for us,

He will wrap his loving arms around us, and he will get us through it.

He is our hope during the hopeless times.

He is the light that shines on our path, so we can wake up and do life regardless of the heartbreak.

Trials and tribulations are going to happen. The unthinkable things are going to occur at the worst moments.

Is there really a good time for bad times?!

And, during these moments, you are going to ask the question: “Why God?”

But, let me make something crystal clear, our God didn’t bring the trial or tribulations. It’s the enemy that “steals, kills and destroys.”

However, our comfort is that everything passes through God’s hand. He is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. He’ll take our pain, and makes something good out of it.  (Romans 8:28)

What I have been trying to wrap around my little human mind is that the life we live here on earth is short, compared to a life with him in eternity.

Regardless of my bad times, I can see God’s goodness, and I am extremely thankful for the life I live.  But to hold on to this life like it is everything is to not understand God’s plan for us, and that is eternal life with him.

It’s absolutely okay to ask and wonder why things happen. It is especially okay to mourn those that we have lost along the way. Hopefully, you know him as your Prince of Peace, Strong Tower, and Comforter.