Has the carpet of life been pulled from under your feet? Has disaster struck to a point where you questioned God and the goodness He promises towards you?

If your answer is yes, I want to know, “What did you do?”

Did you blame God? Were you angry at Him or at your circumstances? Did you look for someone or something to blame for what happened? You probably did, but I want to show you the root of what took place and a life changing response you can have.

In that moment when disaster strikes, when nothing makes sense and where every possible question you can think about pops up, in that moment, you will find Jesus. It is in that moment where you question His good plans for you, the abundant life He promises in His Word, that you will find Him. He is there not the author of your pain or destruction, but He is the shoulder you need to cry on. He is the pillow to bring you rest again, He is the arms that bring you comfort. He is not the one behind your pain but He is the true cure for it.

Now your response to this may sound something like this, “Yeah, but if only you have faced my circumstances…” Well, I haven’t, but I have faced my own. My challenges was hard enough for me, just like the ones you have to face is hard enough for you. We recently faced an unexpected situation of loss that had the potential of great destruction where we became the subjects of a crime.  Because God loves us, we know that we encountered a mere shadow of what the enemy intended for us but we still had to choose: are we going to play the blaming game, or are we going to believe and declare that God can turn everything for our good, who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose, even when our privacy has been invaded.

The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus has come to give us life and abundantly (John 10:10). In that moment of loss, shock, hurt and destruction, I want to encourage you to turn hard and fast to Jesus. Look to Him for your answers. Look to Him as the one holding your hand. Not as the one who brought your pain unto you, but as your support every step of the way to a better place and person.

The enemy brings destruction and loss across our paths for no other reason but to take our eyes off Jesus and to turn our hearts away from Him—the only one that has the answers and the way forward to a better outcome.

In your moment of loss, have faith that God has good plans for you and supplies all your needs. In your moment of destruction, have faith that He, even in those circumstances, wants and can turn everything for your good. In your moment of death, have faith that He has plans for goodness and a long life for you.

Choose not to dwell on thoughts of “what if?”, “what could have!”, “if only”. These are the seeds that place your focus where Jesus will not be found and never intended for you to have.

Choose to move your mind out of the way and use your faith to know that even then, God is with you and in control. Even then He has good plans for you and even then He can turn everything for your good. Even when it feels impossible, because for God nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).

Instead of questioning God’s plan and character, remember as His child you only experienced a shadow of what the enemy intended for your harm. Ask God for a word from His Word and stand in it. While you do that, He fights the enemy and the harm that was intended for you. While you stand on His Word, He takes care of your mind, heart and soul and you will walk away blessed to the point where fear can no longer take root in your heart.

Maretha Retief