When the Unthinkable Happens: A Journey Through SufferingSample

“Unthinkable:” when life slaps you in the face and you stand frozen in shock. Our minds can’t fully grasp the situation, let alone know what to do next. We cry, we scream, and sometimes we even get angry at God.

My unthinkable was cancer, but the unthinkable does not have to be cancer or some other scary health diagnosis. It can also be emotional pain, relational upheaval, or any heartache that rocks us back on our heels.

Maybe a spouse has walked out the door, abandoning the family. Perhaps relationships with parents have become painfully strained and communication has stopped. It could be the unbearable pain of a wayward child. Was your engagement broken and you don’t know why? Maybe you lost a loved one. These situations can bring life to a screeching halt.

As we journey through this reading plan together, I hope that whatever your unthinkable situation is, you will find hope and be drawn to your heavenly Father. Did you know He loves you more than you can think or imagine? He’s promised to never leave you nor forsake you. No matter what your situation, God is never caught off-guard.

Here’s the question we will wrestle with this week: How would God have us respond to our unthinkable circumstances in life? We all have them. They are not fun, but I want you to know you can make it, dear one. God is near. He is ready. He is able. All He wants from you and me is to trust Him.

As David reminds us in Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

I’d like to share my cancer journey with you. It was a time when my life was turned upside down, and in the midst of that, God taught me some incredible things. My prayer is that you will be comforted by the end of this reading plan and better able to focus on your next steps. God has a purpose and a plan for your life and He wants to guide you toward it!

“Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house.” -Charles Spurgeon