Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? I’ve asked myself this question more than once in my lifetime. I may never fully understand the why, but tonight as I sat on my bed with my Bible laid out, I started thinking about one of my heroes.
At a very young age, she became blind after a visiting physician mistreated her eye infection. Not long after, her dad also died. I have never walked through a trial like this, and I wondered how I would feel if this were me. I think it would be easy to become bitter and angry because of my circumstances. However, this lady chose to have a very different perspective.
Most of you would recognize her name: Fanny Crosby. She is known as “the queen of gospel songwriters.” She wrote more than 8,000 hymns under various pen names. When asked about her blindness, though, she responded, “I could not have written thousands of hymns if I had been hindered by the distractions of seeing all of the beautiful objects that would have been presented to my notice. How many blessings do I enjoy that other people don’t. To weep and sigh because I’m blind, I cannot, and I won’t.”
She didn’t let her circumstances dictate her future but rather used them as an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord and further His kingdom.
We’ve all walked through trials and hardships at some points in our lives. Usually, when this happens to me, I find myself asking God: Why? That’s ok, but I don’t want to stop there.
The more difficult it is, the more I want to lean on the Lord. The closer I want to be to Him. I once heard a wise man say, “When you cannot trust the Father’s hand, you can always trust His heart.” He is good. He is faithful. He is holy. He is just. He is good. He is love.
Though the night may seem dark, I can rest assured that He will never leave me or forsake me. Psalm 27:13-14 says, “I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord” (emphasis added).
One of my favorite hymns Fanny ever wrote has always brought comfort to my heart, especially after knowing her life story:
All the way my Savior leads me–
What have I to ask besides?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me–
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for ev’ry trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy, I see;
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads me–
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.
Be encouraged.
Erin
