My mind always goes back to the three Hebrew children, suffering imprisonment and threatened with the fiery furnace. They did not tell each other that "surely a God of love would never allow children to suffer." Nor did I, when the Lord found me as a child, hiding from hideous abuse. After He regenerated me, He walked with me through the flames (so to speak) of several more years of abuse.

He could have stopped the abuse. He could have prevented Brenda's stroke, or Jacy's troubles. Why didn't He?

I don't know all the answers, but I do know, first of all, that we exist for His glory and His pleasure, not the other way around! He owns it all, including us. And I know secondly, that it reveals His power and love so much more that He should accompany us through the fire rather than extinguishing it. How much more amazing is it; and how much more does it reveal about God's character that He would join one of His little creatures, protecting and preserving them, so that at the end of the ordeal there is not even the odor of smoke in their clothing?

I'm sure God prevents countless tragedies every single minute. But we seldom ever notice nor give Him thanks. But these situations - physical maladies, childhood abuse, poverty, homelessness, whatever - force us to call upon Him, to wait for His provision, and then reveal not only God, but us as well: Those who are His can thank Him even in the midst of suffering. Those who are not His do not - indeed cannot - know such comfort and such abiding joy.

We rejoice with you, and weep with you; we who know our Lord, know that His children never suffer unjustly; that they never suffer alone; that their suffering serves a glorious eternal purpose; and that their reward in heaven is great.

-Robin