Things do happen, and often, they seem to happen mainly to women. Our plates are filled with so much to do! When things happen to a Pastor’s wife, above and beyond what is expected, it can be overwhelming! Yes, we do trust God, and we encourage and exhort others (at least that is what we are supposed to do). However, when we face overwhelming challenges, we can stumble, but thanks be to God, for His presence and promises; they keep us steady and steadfast. 1 Corinthians 15:58, (NIV) encourages us: 

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Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 

A few weeks ago, something happened to us (my husband and me), which really shook us up. It could have been worse, but God really stepped in. Sometimes, we hear sermons preached about Job’s wife, as if she was one of those “bad women” in the Bible. Actually, she is a precious woman! She stood alongside her husband even as she lost all her children, livestock and possessions. Yes, she did ask her husband why he was still holding on to God, but then, are we any better? We might have asked that same question if we were in her position. There are times when we feel we are better than others, even better than our own parents. See what prophet Elijah realized after some time:

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But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” (1 Kings 19:4, NASB)

Yes! It takes time to realize that we are not any better than our ancestors. Kids come to this realization around the age of thirty, maybe; before that age, they think otherwise. This shows that we need God’s grace to control even our thinking. Like Joyce Meyer says, our mind is the battlefield. A battlefield makes more sense to me these days than before, as one of our own joined the US Army; it is no game. The devil works 24/7 against the children of God. It is important, to never forget the following advice from Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NASB) Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Dear sisters, I would like to conclude with this, let nothing move you! You might ask, why? The answer is clearly found in Scripture, God is always with us, even when we go through “fire and water” (Isaiah 43: 1-2). When we face difficult situations, our first prayer should not be; “Lord, take me out of this, right now!” There is a reason (and a season) why God allows certain things to occur in our lives. Our first response should be, “Lord, I know that nothing happens without Your knowledge, please tell me why this happened, and how You want me to handle this”. Bishop TD Jakes says, “nothing just happens”. God has a plan for us. We may go through certain situations, but come out better than before. Allow the Potter to finish His work on us.  If we come out prematurely, then we will be unfinished, and may not be useful. Let the One who started the work finish it well.

It takes time to understand God. The Apostle Paul wanted to know Him more and more, even towards the end of his earthly life. As mature believers  we still complain to the Lord when we encounter troubles. However, In the end, we will be able to say “Thank You Lord for everything”. Nehemiah, in his prayer for the people, said; 

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“However, (Lord)*you are just in all that has come upon us; for you have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly. (Nehemiah 9:33, NASB). Let us allow God to do His perfect work in us in the good times and in the challenging seasons. The Apostle Paul encouraged us in Romans 8:28 with this powerful truth; And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 

I am thankful for this opportunity, to write this article. May God bless you!