If Tim would have picked the title for chapter 27 of The Bridge from OneDayBow, I think it may have been this one. One minute he was helping out around the yard, the next he was toppling down a hill on the way to a ballgame, and the next thing he knew he was in the hospital. And there was no one more confused than Tim as to how he got there, and why.

In a moment, Tim went from being independent and secure in his future to utterly helpless. Trapped in his own body, obviously scared, and wondering about the whys of life… and death. The thoughts whirled through Tim’s head.

I know the King is Sovereign – He has the final say;

Because He is all knowing, He knew all things that day.

Since He is all powerful, could He have stopped the fall?

When it comes to free-will choice, is the King over all?

Granted, it wasn’t probably the best time to try to figure out the great mysteries of life, but thoughts and questions often insist on answers at inopportune times. At least they do for me.

It was easy to come up with the title for today’s blog: it was about my day – not what I planned. A dozen annoying distractions, frustrations, and disappointments intruded into my space. But nothing like has happened to my family and friends in the past few weeks. I do have one family member in the hospital right now, with a very uncertain future. I have another friend facing some really difficult decisions and painful treatments. Another friend will be having surgery soon. Then there are lost cell phones, insurance hikes and cancellations, and more cases of Covid popping up…. On top of that, my brain is aging and it sometimes feels a little like I’m trapped in my body! Life is not going according to plan.

God is still Sovereign and people are still making free-will choices. And I have to remember that we’re living in a fallen world with the effects of sin continuing on.

For Tim, Emma came in at just the right time. It’s true, that she didn’t understand the “whys” either, but rather than trying to figure it all out she turned to what she did know. And she even put it in a song:

My King, I am certain, nothing is too hard for You.

When we are the weakest, You have strength to see us through.

Savior, You deliver us in every fight we face,

And I believe You’ll touch Tim with Your amazing grace.

But how could Emma be sure? If the King is Sovereign – if the God Who reveals Himself in the Bible is Sovereign – can we insist on a certain outcome? We can pray, we can implore God’s mercy, but we leave it in His hands and trust His promises. Especially Romans 8:28:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

This is a promise I hang onto tightly. But notice the conditions; the promise is for those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Do you love God and trust He has a purpose for you, including everything He allows into your life?

And this verse doesn’t say that nothing bad will happen to people who love God, but that God will work everything together for good. We can be broadsided by difficulty if we forget that.

When I first started writing this Blog many years ago, the world was very different. Life is more uncertain than ever and it often doesn’t go as we plan. But God doesn’t change, and even in the hardest times – when we don’t like where we are at – God can use it all to bring much good. Who knows, maybe someone we love will come to faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son. I can’t think of any better outcome!