God is Sovereign and This Is Not Our Home

Lately I have been overwhelmed by the number of people going through difficult situations: Health issues, marital issues, unemployment, deaths in the family, etc... Many of these people are dear to my heart and I hurt for them. It's hard to comprehend why things happen the way they do and why some people never seem to catch a break. I don't understand it, and I probably never will. But what I do know is that God is sovereign and this is not our home. The struggles may be difficult, but they are teaching us things we may not be able to learn any other way. Just like gold, we are being refined. The heat and pressure are an important part of the process. Day by day we are being transformed into His likeness. "The heat and trials of our lives are not evidence God is cruel or has left you, but ultimately are evidence of how much God values you and his desire for you to be all he designed you to be. He values us as he finds us but he loves us too much to leave us as he finds us." The struggles will one day end and the pain will have all been worth it. In the meantime, I want each of you to know that I love you and I am praying for you daily.