When Things Don’t Make Any Sense

30 Sep When Things Don’t Make Any Sense

Verse of the Day: Romans 8:28

The summer before my junior year of high school, my family moved to Plymouth. For those first few months, I wished that everything could go back to the way it was pre-move. Trying to cheer me up, my parents offered to drive me to my old school’s Fall play, Godspell. I thought that, at least for one night, I could pretend nothing had changed. But when we arrived, things were not exactly the same. Something was off. But, as my friends were all in the cast, we sat down and waited for the show to start… After a few minutes, the headmaster came out and asked us to join him in praying for the family of another ex-student who had just been killed in a car crash. When the name was announced, I was shocked. She had been one of my closest friends in middle school. None of what was going on made any sense!

For years, I struggled to make sense of my small personal loss (change of schools, friends, and towns) paired with this larger loss (a dear friend whose life was cut short). Over time, one of the places I turned to was a verse in Paul’s Letter to the Romans that has been helpful for so many dealing with loss: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” After reading and re-reading it, I asked a question:

God, will you please use these two things for good in my life?

I would be stretching the truth to say that I have found all the answers in the years since. But, opportunities to do youth ministry in the church have allowed me to learn to listen without a lot of judgment (HINT: it’s super hard). Twelve years working in a high school have given me time to learn how to be a caring mentor to young people dealing with change and loss. (HINT: this is also incredibly hard).

All of us carry things in our lives that don’t make any sense. Let’s pray, re-read Romans 8:28, and ask God: Lord, please use these things for good in my life! 

In Christ,
Pastor David