trials, tragedies and reasons

We all go through trials and tragedies. In those moments we look for the reasons as to why. I have been told that there are three reasons why we go through trials. The first is correction, one example of this is in the life of David. When he sinned with Bathsheba the tragedy that came from that was the death of their son. Next is protective, the trial stops us from making the wrong move. An example of this is the thorn of the flesh that Paul had, it kept him humble so that he did not fall into the sin of pride. The third reason that is given is to teach, for this example we turn to Job. God allowed the trails in Jobs life to teach Job more about God. So what do you do if your trial does not fit any of those categories? This happened to my mom the last few years. In the last few years my family has walked through many different trials. After hearing a sermon on trails a few weeks ago she started to wrestle with God for an reason why. None of the stuff she has been through fit into the categories that were given in the sermon she heard. God gave her an answer in the most unexpected way. God directed my moms thoughts to how Bathsheba and Job's wife must have felt walking through the tragedies they faced. The situations they when through where not of their making, so it was not corrective. We do not see any sin that were stopped by these situations, so not protective. The bible does not tell us what these woman learned about God through these tragedies, that eliminates teaching trails. Why did these women have to deal with the trail? The answer my mom got makes a lot of sense. There is a fourth reason for trails! My mom put it this way "The trials were not purposeful but they were not purposeless either. God did not plan them for me, but he still used them in my life." (Amy Smith) She explained it as if what she was dealing with was collateral damage. That there was a trail in someone else life that was affecting her as well. Much like Bathsheba and Job's wife did not ask for the things they dealt with but because of the choices of others they had to walk though it. This does not make it any easier to walk through the trail. It gives new meaning to the verse "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 KJV).   We will not always know the reason for the tragedies that happen in this life till we get to heaven. There is peace in knowing that even when nothing make sense that God is still in control! My mom did not know how much I need to hear this truth that God had shown her. A few weeks ago we learned that my Pepe has cancer. For the last few weeks I have been at a lost as how to accept that my family will have to walk this path yet again. It will be hard, but God has plan. I am not called to understand every detail of His plan, I am called to trust and obey.