The big question that I most often hear is if we have an all-powerful God, then why does He let terrible things happen.

When you hear these words, you know that you are dealing with deep inner pain.

Expectation and disappointment are forefront.

The expectation was that God is all-powerful and loving! “When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” John 11:32-37

Mary and Martha knew the power and love of Jesus and expected the circumstances to have been different if He had shown up earlier. They were disappointed.

We experience the same thing when we have a loss. We know Jesus sees and hears all, and we know He can change the circumstances. Our hearts ask the question why did He not prevent this from happening?

Then we hear these words that touch our hearts lightly and then penetrate more deeply as time goes by, “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 29:11NIV