The world shifted beneath my feet. I wanted to run as far and as fast as I could, to be anywhere else. I wanted to unhear the words, discover it was a sick joke, awake from the nightmare, but the sun kept on shining, and nothing changed.
Numbing cold crept through my veins, and the tears began. My first thoughts were negative, a hard certainty that nothing would ever be the same again. Then, I prayed, an urgent pleading for help, wisdom, words. I believed God was in control, but where was He? Why had He allowed this to happen? How was I to proceed?
God Stands Firm
In the days and months that followed, I prayed and searched God’s word for answers. Gradually, 
much as Job did, I came to a greater understanding of exactly who God is, how He works, and what He desires of me. In Job 42:1-6, Job begins to confess how differently he came to view God through his drastically changed circumstances. “‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted … Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know … I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’” This shows me the right perspective on how very small I am compared to God.
Gaining God’s perspective has deepened my conviction that He is constant, unchanging, and in control. It was His plan all along to use what had devastated me to reveal Himself in a grander way. This hard circumstance has grown and matured in ways I never would have otherwise. God is using this trial to change me and to increase my confidence and trust in Him. He stood firm when I fell apart.
The World Shifts
Life can change out of the blue, but the ever-present God who knows all and sees all, loves me even when I question and struggle. He does not change. Though things take me by surprise, He never is. When I stop fighting and accept what He has allowed, I experience His peace.
He always works, even when I cannot see it. Isaiah 43:19 says, “‘Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.’”
The world shifted, but God stood firm for me. It has been four years, and the situation has not changed. Yet God continues to mature and strengthen me despite the circumstances. I don’t know what lies ahead. But day by day, I learn to accept what is and trust in what is to come without worry or fear. My trust is in the God who Himself is love.
He Stands Firm for You
Whatever you face, no matter how hard the struggle, you are never alone, you are never outside of God’s plan, and you are always within reach of His love. He stands firm for you in the midst of your trials, too. Choose to trust Him. Diligently seek Him. Honor Him with your obedience and surrender. No matter your circumstances, He will bless you when you seek Him above all else.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28