His Unfailing Love

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

I was angry at God. I’d fallen for the tantalizing lie Christians sometimes believe—that bad things won’t happen to us if we serve God well. Or, if something bad happens, we will eventually be healed or triumph over the challenge.

But when my sister Katrina died after a five-year battle with breast cancer, I felt confused and ashamed. I asked myself, Didn’t we pray enough? Was our faith not enough? I had trusted in God’s mercy, his justice. What could seem more unjust than a sister dying at twenty-eight? How could the loss of a wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend possibly “work together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28)? Though I’ve heard countless times that we’ll have trouble in this world, it still feels counterintuitive. Shouldn’t our goodness be rewarded?

The truth is that earthly healing doesn’t always happen. And instead of the grand testimony we envision ourselves telling about a miraculous outcome, we are often left with a quieter story of God’s faithfulness in helping us pick up the pieces afterward.

Looking back, I’m grateful for Jesus’ gentle comfort and love in the wake of Katrina’s death. Even in my darkest moments, I was never abandoned. Instead, I felt cushioned by his comfort and buoyed by his love through the shock and grief of loss. As my family clung to one another, God’s love felt near, tangible, and present—more so than at any other time in my life.

David, the psalmist, writes about praising God for his unfailing love. What’s remarkable is that David was someone who understood pain, sorrow, and the danger of this world—after all, he was hunted by King Saul and lived in the wilderness—and yet he remained willing to give up his life for God’s favor. How valuable God’s love is to us! Though it’s worth more than any treasure we could possess, it’s free and constantly available.

In our darkest times, his love is unfailing. And sometimes, that’s the best testimony we can offer to others—the hope and the knowledge that he will not forget us; we are not alone; we are loved.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Think of a difficult time in your life. Consider that God was near to you, even then, and thank him for his presence.