not as it should be

Today, I wrote to the family of a young man, who is fighting for his life, in a hospital, after a traumatic car wreck:

I have been reading Mary Beth Chapman’s new book, Choosing to See. She and her husband, Steven Curtis Chapman, lost a five year old daughter, when their 17 year old ran over her with his car two and half years ago. Her new book chronicles their family’s journey through the shock and grief. It spoke to me in the place I’m in.

She sites a quote from CS Lewis:

“We’re not necessarily doubting the God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”

This is a song that she and her husband co-wrote:

“This is not how it should be
This is not how it could be
This is how it is
And our God is in control

This is not how it will be
When we finally will see
We'll see with our own eyes
He was always in control

And we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
And we will finally really understand what it means
So we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
While we're waiting for that day

This is not where we planned to be
When we started this journey
But this is where we are
And our God is in control

Though this first taste is bitter
There will be sweetness forever
When we finally taste and see
That our God is in control.”

I’m adding this, here on my blog:
So much of what happens to us, this side of heaven, is puzzling and painful. “Why, God, why?” we ask. “Why, does it have to be this way?” The truth is, though, bad happens…very bad happens…but our trust is in our God who has control of everything… the waves in the ocean…the sun’s rise and set…even life’s circumstances that take our breath away…Our God is in control…even when it is not as it should be.

Thank you, God,
g