Whatever My Lot...

"...thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

- Isaiah 43:1-2

We all have situations in our lives that we don’t understand.  Whether it be a sickness or the loss of a loved one or an unexpected job loss or loneliness – someone at some time is faced with one or more of these situations and cannot for the life of them understand how they ended up there.  

I was struck by this thought recently as I sang the song “It Is Well with My Soul,” especially the line “whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say…”  As I sang that particular line, I was keenly aware of how strong those words are and how difficult it can be to mean them.  The Bible is full of God’s promises to order our steps and plan out our lives.  I don’t understand why difficult times happen.  It doesn’t make sense to me why one of my friends who is my age was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemo.  I can’t understand why jobs are terminated with no explanation and families left with nowhere to turn.  The feeling of loneliness is one that is very easy to get people down and discouraged because they feel like they don’t matter to anyone.  

Life is hard and it doesn’t always make sense … to us.  Notice that qualifier.  Who does it make sense to? God. He’s got everything all planned out (Jeremiah 29:11) and will work it for good (Romans 8:28) – not necessarily our good, but His.  What He asks of us is our patience (Romans 12:12) and our trust (Proverbs 3:5).  Those two words are easier said than done, but it’s what He requires.  We won’t, however, have to go it alone – He says in Isaiah that when we go through the hard, difficult, and confusing times that He will be with us (43:1-6).  

So when you go through hard and confusing times in life, don’t just ask God for His help in your situation, also thank God for His presence and praise Him for His promises.  He will give you the strength and wisdom in your situation; it just may take a little time.  “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.” May it be so.