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And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

There have been times when I questioned why God allowed me to go through certain circumstances, times when it was as though I were in complete darkness, when I felt utterly helpless and alone. I thought God wasn’t there; yet, He was with me the whole time. I couldn’t see that, of course, because rather than looking toward the light He was ushering into my life, I was too focused on the darkness. I allowed the pain of the moment to take precedence over the hope God wanted me to embrace for the future. Thus, my eyes were blind to His blessing.

There were times when I became angry with God, because of my bleak circumstances; yet He never gave up on me. He remained faithful to me through it all, because He had a plan and purpose for my life, because He loved me, and refused to let me go.

And now that I look back on those painful moments, I don’t see what I saw back then; instead, I recognize that it was for my good that God allowed me to experience such things. For God used those experiences as a means to pave the way for a bright future, to make me stronger, and to teach me to appreciate life even more.

And so I learned that sometimes you have to go through a storm before experiencing the sunshine. You have to hold on to God and trust that He knows what He’s doing. At some point, the storm will cease, as the sunshine breaks through its clouded barriers. Thus, you will begin to feel its warmth, and appreciate it even more. And that’s when you will realize that God was always there.

Post by Chris Esty

+Chris Esty is an Inspirational Writer, Photographer, and the Founder of The Bible Post ministry. Listen to his testimony Here