There come times in life that certain things happen that one wonders why God would allow such things to happen to His Children. In the past days, I found myself in such condition. I watched the news and saw the havoc the Hurricane Irma wrecked on the Caribbean Island, Florida and other parts of America. Thousands of people are now homeless and assets worth billions of dollars are lost.In Nigeria, the flood in Benue and Cross River States also rendered many homeless.
While I was battling with that in my mind, I received another heartbreaking news, a sister in the Lord who we fellowship together, lost her two daughters with two grandchildren in a motor accident on their way to Abuja. On hearing the news, my heart began to beat fast, ”oh God why?” I cried out, but there was no answer. Everywhere became dark to me, and I became devastated. Are these things happening as a result of our sins, I asked myself, but if God were to treat us according to our sins who will escape His judgment? I recalled a portion in Psalm 103:8,10 which says, “ The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities”. Considering this Psalm I concluded that the dark days were not judgment days, yet I could not get an answer to my questions.
September 9, 2017, was the funeral service of these loved ones, and we all gathered in the Church with gloomy faces. As I sat in the Church pondering over the unanswered question, the Pastor took his text from the book of Job chapter one, and titled his sermon “ The God of the dark hour”. He mentioned about four things why evil things happen to God’s children, but only two caught my attention, ‘God’s sovereignty and His restoration’ On reaching home the following day I began to search the Bible to know more. As I searched the pages of the Bible I came across these verses that strengthen me and I believe it will also help you.
“So the LORD said to him, “who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? (Exd.4:11).”
“Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and all the deeps” (Psalm 135:6).
“Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times that are not yet done. Saying, my counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10)
“Indeed before the day was, I am He, And there is no one who can deliver out of my hand; I work, and who will reverse?” (Isaiah 43:13)
“For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His Kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His Will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, “what have you done?” (Dan.4:35).
Woe unto him who strives with his maker!Let the potsherd strive with the potsherd of the earth! Shall the clay say to Him who forms it, what are you making? Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’? (Isaiah 45:9).
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28).
Yes, God may allow dark days to hover over us, but He does not mean evil to us; those dark days will not last long, He will surely restore to us what we have lost. In my search about God’s restoration, these are the verses I came up with:
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25).
“For I will restore health to you, and heal you of your wounds!says the LORD, because they called you an outcast saying, this is Zion; no one seeks her” (Jer.30:17).
“Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion, they shall rejoice in their portion.Therefore, in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs” (Isaiah 61:7).
“And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).
“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Pet.5:10).
“ 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” (Jer.29:11).
“Shout for joy, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones. But Zion said, “ The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me” can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you” ( Isaiah 49:15-16).
I am confident that God will restore what was destroyed by the hurricane Irma to my brothers and sisters in America, Caribbean Island, Benue, Mexico a hundredfold and my beloved sister beyond what they can ever imagine.
