Devastated, but Not Destroyed
By Rick Warren
“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)
You’re going to go through tough times and experience major losses in life. Why? Because there is no growth without change; there is no change without loss; there is no loss without pain; and there is no pain without grief.
For 27 years, I prayed every day that God would heal my son’s mental illness. Matthew lived a very tortured, painful life. We went to the best doctors in the nation and had the best medications. We had thousands of people praying. We have a strong, supportive family that is full of faith.
And yet, my prayer for Matthew’s healing was never answered on Earth. I know he was healed the moment he entered God’s presence in heaven. But why not here? Why did he have to suffer so much? It just didn’t make sense.
After Matthew died, I wrote in my journal, “I’d rather walk with God with none of my questions answered than walk through life without him and know all the answers.”
Whenever you have a major loss, the tendency is to immediately look for a cause or a reason or an explanation: Why did he leave me? Why did I lose my job? Why did I get cancer? Why, why, why?
When you’re in pain, explanations don’t help. You don’t need an explanation. You need God. You need his comfort and his presence.
God says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2 NLT).
You may be devastated, but you will not be destroyed. The fire will not consume you, because God is with you in your pain and grief.
If the person closest to you were to suddenly die tomorrow, knowing the reason why wouldn’t lessen the pain any bit. So stop looking for an explanation. You don’t need it!
God has not promised an explanation for why everything happens in the world. But for everyone that follows Jesus, he has promised you’re not going to go through any of it on your own.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Be Encouraged Each Day to Live Out God’s Purposes
As thanks for your gift below to help share the gospel with more people around the world through Daily Hope, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s new book, Daily Hope Devotional: 365 Days of Purpose, Peace, and Promise.
Each devotional starts out with a Bible verse, followed by teaching that explains God’s Word and shows you how to apply it daily so you can face any challenge and live the life you were created to live.
As a special bonus when you give, we’ll also send you What's Driving Your Life?: A 10-Day Turnaround for a Fresh Start. Featuring 10 hand-picked devotions from Pastor Rick’s new book, they’ll guide anyone feeling stressed, worried, or discouraged toward seeking God for a fresh start.
Request your copy below when you give—and take the first step towards a year of real purpose, lasting peace, and unfailing promises.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.