One Day, One Event, Life Changed Forever

“The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word 'love' and look on things as if man were the centre of them.”- C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Have you ever had one day, one event, one week that changed the course of your life forever? You may be thinking of a good event, such as a wedding or engagement, or you may be thinking of a bad event such as a family member or friend passing away unexpectedly, a broken relationship, etc.

I recently went through one bad week with a few events which have affected my life forever. As I wrestled with God about this and asked “is it truly possible that one event, one day can change the course of my life?” The answer I was given was a resounding “yes.”

I can think of positive and negative events in the Bible that occurred in a short amount of time which changed the course of history forever. One of those events in particular, gave you and me, new life forever. The day that the Jews pushed for Caesar to crucify Jesus. The worst and best day in history, an event that changed the world.

The crucifixion of God’s son, our Savior.

A few days before, Jesus was being praised in the city streets, riding on a donkey. A few days later, those same people are yelling “crucify him!” after one of Jesus’s best friends and disciples betrayed him. One week, a few days, changed our lives forever. A savior who took on the sins of the world- who went through terrible suffering, in order that you and I may experience eternal life.

I am reminded of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, asking God to take the cup of suffering from Him if He willed, ultimately knowing that God’s will would be done either way (Matthew 26:36-45). Jesus was crucified days later, the most horrible suffering anyone can ever imagine, as He was not only in great physical pain but great emotional pain (the most painful part of it all)- separation from the Father.

Oh how grateful I am to have a Father who meets me where I am. He has experienced both the highs and the lows, the great victories and great loss. He has experienced it all, on an even greater scale. He meets us where we are. When we are suffering, He is empathetic towards us. And when we ask Him to take it away, he understands that too. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t, but I can tell you this- there is always a purpose in our suffering.

Jesus’s resurrection day was 3 days later. It might take minutes, hours, days, months, or years, but I know we will experience resurrection day. God is the redeemer of all. It often takes the time of suffering for resurrection day to feel even sweeter. There is no resurrection without pain. There is no redemption without suffering. There is no victory without loss.

No matter where you are in life right now- if you’re at a high point or a low point- God is with you. He is Immanuel, God with us. He wants to celebrate the highs and stand beside you during the lows. He loves you. God knows we will go through moments where it is hard to trust Him, especially when things seem so out of our control. Yet, He’s calling us to Himself, we can pour out our hearts to Him. He is our safest place.

Prayer: God, my greatest hope and my greatest JOY is found in you. I thank you for the highs and the lows. Thank you for meeting me where I am, for being my safe place, my strong tower. I trust you, God, even when it’s hard and things seem so out of my control. Bring me to my knees in humbleness, I repent of any areas in which I have ignored your presence and acted out of distrust or unbelief. Thank you, Father for forgiving me and loving me, Amen!

“The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10

“Suffering is not good in itself. What is good in any painful experience is, for the sufferer, his submission to the will of God, and, for the spectators, the compassion aroused and the acts of mercy to which it leads.” - C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain