Purpose

Though I am no longer surprised at the way that God weaves seemingly unrelated things together, I still find myself humbled and awed when I see a painting emerge from different colors He's placed in front of me.

The brevity of our time on earth has been heavily on my thoughts lately. I wasn't sure why this kept surfacing, but I've learned enough to know that there was a reason.

I received a message today from my best friend. We have been friends since meeting in seventh grade, and I spent a lot of my adolescence with her family. Her news wasn't good. She was writing to tell me that her father had passed away suddenly. He was only 68 years old.

My friend and her father had a very close relationship, and I know that this brings great comfort to her right now. It's just another reminder to me that there is no better time than the present to mend fractured relationships.

God has a purpose for everything. Every time He reveals something to us, there is a purpose. Every time He asks something of us, there is a purpose. We may never know what it is, but we can be assured not only that it exists, but that our lives will be blessed if we follow through.

There are many scary things going on in our world. From whether or not to vaccinate, to hearing about the abductions of young children, to economic uncertainty. It is hard sometimes to trust that God knows our paths. He has a purpose for us, no matter what events unfold in our lives.

And when horrible things happen, we need to open our hands to God and say, "Let me do Your will."

Tonight I am in prayer for my dear friend. I pray that God will use me to bring His comfort to her.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)