He Who Is Near..

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans that I ^[a]have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 23:23-24

²³ “Am I a God who is near,” declares the LORD,
“And not a God far off?
²⁴ “Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the LORD.
“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

Just a couple of days ago, God allowed our big boy to undergo a seizure.  We were all surprised because it hadn’t happened in 9 years.  As we were going through the motions of helping him and caring for him, God showed me a glimpse of what He’s been accomplishing in my life these past years.

I have known the above verses for years and yet I’m only now grasping what they truly mean for me, as a believer.

I’m bent on worry.  My natural response to unexpected “calamity” is anxiousness.  When this circumstance happened, a few dear friends asked how I was doing with the whole thing.  “Was I worried?  Am I getting anxious because it might happen again?”

As I thought about it, I realized, I actually wasn’t worried.  I was concerned for my son, but not worried. All that kept popping in mind was that God is sovereign and He is near.  There is nothing that happens without His mighty hand controlling every instance.  He sees and is in control of all things happening, and all things to happen.  He is a loving, gracious, and holy God.  This means that everything He allows in my life comes with a loving, perfect purpose.  God isn’t “out to get me?  My suffering has a wonderful purpose that is for my ultimate good.  

I praise Him because He continues to help me understand who He is.  He is the ONE TRUE GOD who is near ; sees all things; controls all things and whose plans are always for my good.  Therefore, I need not worry about the “unexpected, unknown hardships/calamities that may or may not come.”  They are not unexpected to my God who is near.