Lessons from the back of a classroom

I got a little more insight to what student life is like at UASD today. I went with a student to a classroom where her friends were working on a commercial they had to film for their publicity class. The class was initially empty—no desks even! But then students started pouring in, then, as if by routine, went into another classroom to carry desks into the empty room. Later, as students were giving presentations to the class, you could hear the uproar of conversation going on in the classroom adjacent. One would usually just close the classroom door at this point—but there are none!

A student said something very profound today as she was sharing with me her story about her family life. She told me about how her parents divorced when she was 2 years old and that she never had a relationship with her father until she was 18. He re-entered her life then and maintained frequent communication with her. She really enjoyed being able to finally connect with her dad and was just getting used to talking to him on a usual basis, when he passed away a year later. This led her to question why God would let her taste something so great only to take it away from her. In the few years that followed, she has learned to look at the situation with an eternal perspective. Having believed in God at a very young age, she knew that it would be difficult for the non-believer to find credibility in her story. I have also wondered the same thing: How would anyone who didn’t grow up learning to love and receive God’s love take my word for the good things He’s done in my life? Her face full of joy, she tells me that while it still hurts at times to think of what she’s lost, she now has experienced God’s love and comfort in much deeper way. She knows what it feels like to question God’s justice, to be confused, to be desperate for comfort. This, she feels, not only strengthened her relationship with God, but strengthens her testimony to others as it illustrates God’s plan to restore all things.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. –Genesis 50:20

Be encouraged by this student’s faith in the Lord’s intentions to bring upon us good things and not disaster. That “though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love (Lamentations 3:32).” How has God used the tragedies and times of difficulty in your life to bring upon good things? Have you yet to see the good come through? Then trust in His unfailing love which casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), promises us comfort (Psalm 119:76), and supports us when we are falling (Psalm 94:18).