He Moves Them

 I often think of the people who have come and gone in and out of my life through the years. Don't you?

It's the end of the spring semester, and this time of the year always makes me think of when I was in college at Clarion over 3 decades ago.  I actually met a lot of great people there.  But, most of those whose paths crossed with mine back then, I've never seen again.  Like, for example, the cute guy I met before Dan swept me off my feet...the friendly classmate who once gave me a ride to the airport...the kind woman who tutored me in English and checked my grammar when I had to write papers...the only non-Panamanian roommate I had one summer...the professor who took me under her wing...or the ladies at the International Students' Office who organized the fun activities for students like me who didn't have anyone around.  All these wonderful people were in my life at a very important and brief moment...never to return again...and I wonder why?

There's also those who are in our lives negatively impacting our walk and making everything horribly challenging.  I'd rather not think of those, except to Praise the Lord for the fact that they aren't in my life anymore.  But still...I wonder...how come they left?  The most recent one was an absolute miracle.  A person who had been making my professional life absolutely miserable, all of a sudden announced she was leaving, and just like that...she was gone! I still don't understand how or why...but she left...allowing me to be able to breathe cleaner air again.

It's all very intriguing to me.

Today, however, I read one of those Facebook messages I love, and it said:  "They did not leave your life.  I moved them.  God."  

Of course...He takes care of us even when we don't even realize it.  

Our Heavenly Father knows exactly what and who we need in our lives way better than we do.  We have no clue, really.  We want these things and we pray they come to us.  We feel comfortable with some people and we hate it when they are no longer in our lives...but...if we could see it, if we could understand it, behind every person that is no longer in our lives, there is a reason why.  And yes, most likely, we will have to wait until we are on the other shore to comprehend it. But that's when faith needs to take over to help us trust that if we don't have them it's because...you know...it's impossible to say it depending on our circumstances...but we trust His plan is perfect even when it hurts.

It is faith what moves us to say in full confidence, "The Lord is My Shepherd, and I shall not be in want." (Psalm 23: 1)  The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1: 21b)

May Christ help us trust His decisions even when we don't understand them...may the assurance of His love for us bring comfort to our hearts as we learn to say goodbye.  Amen!