By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

After last Friday's testimony, a clearly upset reader wrote to me: "We are taught that if we pray and believe we will get what we ask for. Yet, I prayed for my child's safety and he was still killed by a buffalo! I think the church is teaching us a wrong message!” Do you feel like this reader – disillusioned and heart-broken because something did not work out in the way you hoped for?

For the past decade, I have had the privilege of documenting testimonies. People’s stories that in a way is actually God’s stories. Some of the stories had fantastic endings – a troublesome marriage being restored, sick people being healed, a financially difficult situation being resolved. Yet, on the other hand, I have also written stories with sad endings to it initially – parents who had to bury their children, marriages that still ended in divorce despite prayer or families still being declared bankrupt.

I say "initially" a sad ending, because time after time I've been amazed at how God is able to reveal Himself to the worst seasons – and work it together for our good.

A dream of mine became a reality last week, when we filmed a television series with real-life testimonies, God is Dáár for the platform, RoepTV.com. What makes this series unique is that in each episode, we share two contrasting stories - one with a breakthrough and the other with a sad ending initially - for example a child who is healed versus a child who drowned. A relationship with a parent being restored and a relationship still suffering. A woman who became pregnant after years of begging God for a miracle and then a family who could never become pregnant. We wanted to demonstrate that even though sad things happen, God still remains good.

What's even more powerful to me in the series than the breakthrough stories, is how the guests with the initial sad ending could testify of God’s goodness. They shared how God carried and still carries them daily and how they all discovered Him in a new way in the darkest seasons of their lives. Is it easy? Definitely not. Are there tears? Often. Yet, they all were able to testify that God is still good.

In Isaiah 55: 8-9 we read God's words: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

So, to the above-mentioned reader (and everybody who find themselves in a similar situation): My heart goes out to you. I will never be able to understand all your emotions, but one thing I know is that God is still there to comfort you. He understands. He sees the bigger picture. Pour out your heart before Him and I can assure you that He will calm it. God bless.

Father God, thank You that even though I do not understand why things happen in my life, You are still there. Please help me to keep my eyes on You while filling my heart with faith; knowing that you can turn around the worst situation into something good. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
• RoepTV.com will be launched on September 1, 2018. For more information: https://roeptv.com/
• See pictures of the God is Dáár-series, at www.benescke.co.za