A Loving and Constant God
From the beginning of my walk with the Lord until now, I find myself longing for an answer to this specific question: Why does God allow pain and suffering?
While I know I will never fully comprehend God’s perfect plan while I am here on earth, I know one thing for certain: his plan and timing is, indeed, perfect.
The last time I wrote a blog post was June 15, 2022, the summer before my freshman year of college. I know it is no coincidence that today, March 16th, 2025, as I pulled up my blog to write a post for the first time in 3 years, that I glanced at my last posts title, “Learning to Trust His Timing.” God has a funny way of providing you with the right words right when you need them.
My grandmother, Addie Kendrick, finished the good fight and faithful walk she had been living for 79 years (2 Timothy 4:7). Addie was the most amazing grandmother, mother, friend, and daughter of the king. She so graciously served others daily and was generous with all she had. Looking back, I cannot remember a complaint or negative word coming from her mouth. She truly saw God’s hand in all the details and lived life from a glass half-full perspective. Addie gave me a taste of heaven. She lived with the assured confidence that her home was Jesus and nothing the world could offer would exceed His blessing.
John 8:51 — “Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
For those who commit themselves to Jesus as their Lord and savior — submitting to His will and plan for their life — death is simply a transition from this life to an eternal life with God. Those willing to die to self and live for Jesus will never taste death. Addie embodied a life of self-sacrifice and obedience, and I have no doubt that she is dancing with heaven’s angels today and the rest of her days.
Amidst the pain and suffering of losing a loved one, it is hard to understand the “why” in God’s plan. John 16:33 tells us “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” The bible acknowledges that suffering WILL come, but that God can use suffering for good.
Suffering reminds us of our limited time here on earth and that the world is a stepping stone to heaven. In the busyness of our days, it is so easy to lose sight of what really matters. We are quick to consume ourselves in fleeting things that could be stripped from us at any point. Nothing we attain here on earth will come with us to heaven. This is why we are told in Colossians 3:2 - “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
As I grieve the loss of Addie, my biggest role model and the woman I hope to embody the rest of my days, I also am filled with gratitude and peace. Learning to trust God’s timing is hard, but faith reminds us that God is sovereign over it all. Addie was my biggest encourager. Her wisdom and support inspired me to continue writing and posting on my blog. Although we may never fully understand God’s reason behind suffering, remembering Addie’s words commented on my very first blog post 7 years ago can bring peace and stillness to every situation we face in life: “God is so loving & constant.”
Lord, I pray I never forget what a loving and constant God you are for the rest of my days.
Love,
Frances
