This weekend I lost something very dear to me. As it happens to all of us. I enjoyed what God gave me as a precious gift. And I am not sorry I had that time to enjoy it, but now I must learn to live without it. The Lord has blessed me with many gifts, and I am very thankful I had that one to enjoy for as long as I had. But we cannot escape the feeling of loss when something that wonderful is gone.
I went about morning as though for my friend or brother; I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother [we all experience sorrow at some point] (Psalm 35:14). But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand [the Good Lord sees our pain and sorrows] (Psalm 10:14). Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief [He understands what we go through when we lose something] (Psalm 31:9).
I must remind myself: The future is God’s and not mine. God will temper whatever is necessary. I am to think only of using each day well. Each day has its good and its evil, so that even the evil often becomes good if we let God act and never anticipate Him in impatience.
God has presented me with a precious gift (Genesis 30:20). Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights (James 1:17). Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10).
Our gifts are not meant to be “ours” but shared and are given for a purpose. Why our gifts are taken from us before or after or even during our perceived purpose for them we may never know. But He knows, and He controls.
Naked I came from my mother’s womb; and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be forever praised (Job 1:21). In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials (1 Peter 1:6). Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men (Lamentations 3:32-33).
He does not want our pain but our love. I know this. But sometimes it doesn’t help suppress grief. Thank You, God Father, for Your limitless patience with me. And thank You again for that wonderful gift I had the opportunity to enjoy.
