A Few Notes from Todd

Notes from Todd A Few God’s Plans

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

When tragedy strikes, it’s easy for many people – even people of faith – to question the validity of that scripture. We hear it often, “If God is in control of everything, and if he’s a loving God, why does he allow something like this to happen?”

If you are someone who deals with clinical depression, despair may be your daily mindset. I’m not a psychologist, but I have observed a lot of folks who suffer from depression. Medication can help, and so can unwavering love and support by family and friends. Sometimes there are simply no words we can say to comfort someone who is depressed, but we can always offer our presence. I often think of the ministry that our own Cari Willis does with death row prison inmates. Hers is a ministry of presence and of listening more than one of teaching and preaching.

Isn’t that how God’s Holy Spirit works? God knows every thought, every hurt, every struggle, every bad thing we’ve done, and every bad thing someone else has done to us. So why does God not just fix everything and make it right? Why did Jesus have to die such a horrible death? Why are we stuck here in this world where we are surrounded by so much trouble and strife?

God has big plans for us. Maybe we won’t understand those plans this side of Heaven. God has a viewpoint that’s different from ours, and what we consider tragedy may have a different meaning to him. But we can still have hope – hope in God’s great love, hope in Jesus’ resurrection, hope that morning comes after night overtakes us.

In His Service, Todd