Why do we expect a life free from ugliness?

Why do we think that we should ease through life surrounded by comforts?

Why do we think that we should be exempt from pain?

God promised, after all, that life will be hard, that life will be full of trouble.

And He promised that it would all be okay in the end.

He didn’t promise that we would see the end while still in this world, but He promised that it would be okay.

Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end. ~ John Lennon

So many died while still hoping for Messiah, still believing that He would come.

And He did.

So many of us will die while still hoping for God to come and make everything beautiful again.

And He will.

But not only that.

If that weren’t promise enough for you.

Not only has He promised that everything will be okay, but He promised that while it is still not okay, He will never leave us.

So hold on. Be still and hold on to those promises with everything in you and you will find that joy and peace that goes beyond anything that is happening around or inside you.

Hold on.

You who are watching her die before your very eyes.

Hold on.

You who are hurt by the one who should protect.

Hold on.

You who are frightened by all you see around the world.

Hold on.

You who feel like your life doesn’t matter.

Hold on.

Hold on.

He will never leave you. And someday it will be okay.

Art credits: dead rose photo by Deb Knoles; Christ on the Cross photo by Asta Rastauskiene; Nativity by Antonio da Correggio; Tulips in sunlight photo by Kirk Sewell Photography