When Life Gives You a Big Surprise?

When Life Gives You a Big Surprise? I was listening to the clip of Walter Hawkins and the Love Alive Choir singing God Will Open Doors For You! I was reminded of how my late aunt Harriet would sing this song and tear up nearly any church that we would visit. My aunt’s Harriet’s rapid demise in 1981 was one of the most difficult experiences that our family has ever endured. It was exceptionally painful because she was so young, and we were left with so many unanswered questions. There were questions about the cause of her death, and to this day we don’t know the full story.

When death comes in a robs one of a member of an exceptionally close knit family, the pain tends to leave many of us numb. I stood graveside on today with a personal friend who was burying his son on the same day that his son was to enjoy his 24th birthday. Where is God in the midst of all of the tragedy and all of the pain? Can he possibly know how bad we are hurting? I have never known the depths of despair that my mother, aunt, and uncle were plunged into by losing a fellow sibling at such a young age!

It hurts! My aunt was such a cool person to me, and it really stung me that she left her son without a mother at such a young age. Life can and will deliver us surprise after surprise! In the shaky world and times that we live in, we need to hold on to the greatest constant in life which is God! One can never ever know exactly what tomorrow may hold, but one can know who holds tomorrow. God has not forgotten you! God is the only one that can aptly shield us from the many hurts that life’s surprises can bring!

Tragedy will often catch us off guard, but the God of the Heavens is never taken by surprise. He never slumbers nor sleeps, and he is always on the watch to protect us!

Respectfully Submitted,
Pastor Stephen F. Smith

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