God's "secret things" revealed

Oftentimes when I experience bumps in the road, inconveniences, or even outright trials I am not able to see God's purpose in them. However, I've learned to stop trying to understand God's will and just accept it and faithfully obey Him through it. Even if I don't know the reason and can't see the benefit I must trust that He knows and has His purposes.

What a joy it is, though, to persevere and then be rewarded with a little insight into what His motives were. I had one of those "Aha" moments yesterday morning. I was making my bed and thinking of/praying for Ellen as she is dealing with lice down in Guyana. And then it hit me.

August, two and a half years ago, I discovered that Lisa had lice--a lot of them. Upon further examination I found that she had passed it on to three of her brothers as well. I had to wonder what God's purpose was in it. I didn't suffer from any humiliation because I thought "I'm too clean for lice". I knew that wasn't why they got it, and I have no dillusions about any great success in cleanliness to be puffed about. So what was I supposed to be learning?

I was caring for five month old Gabe with his new health issues and suddenly I had to deal with a houseful of lice. I had no idea what I should do? So I called two friends who'd had it in their homes and learned they had each struggled for six weeks to get rid of it (I just heard the same story from a friend last night). Next I checked the internet and learned all I could about lice and then executed a treatment plan--with no chemicals or shampoos.

I worked on lice for almost 48 hours straight--washing carpets, bedding, toys, clothes, and hours of nit-picking--and then I had a morning and evening routine for another 2-3 weeks as a precautionary measure. And they were gone. No recurrence, nothing. I was thrilled, but still not sure why I'd had to go through it--unless it was to get all of the carpets cleaned and bedding washed at one time. So I forgot about it.

And then yesterday morning it hit me. "I went through that for Ellen." She had called me the previous morning to tell me she had lice and ask, "What do I do?" I didn't have to call around. I didn't have to research and tell her what someone else said to do. I told her right then and there, over thousands of miles, exactly what to do and how to do it. Two and a half years ago, God prepared me for a phone call this week. And when I look back over the last two and a half years I don't think I could find a better time for us to have had lice. God's ways are always right, and the more I see the evidence and the more I believe it the easier it is to not get off track, side swiped, or beaten down by the bumps and trials.

Deut. 29:29 "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Believe, trust, and do.