So That

Recently, I read a blog by Ann Voskamp.  Her son and daughter-in-law had spent years renovating a house built in the late 1800s, only to have it burn to the ground, leaving everything they owned in ashes.  As she processed their tremendous suffering, she concluded that suffering is always "so that the works of God might be displayed, so that God might be glorified."

I found myself thinking about those two words: SO THAT.  Out of curiosity, I pulled out my concordance and discovered those words were frequently used together.  Dozens of times, from Genesis to Revelation, the Lord chose to reveal the reason why He allowed, or purposed, something to happen.  As I read through several of the New Testament verses, I realized that while not every occurrence of SO THAT is about suffering, every occurrence ultimately points back to glorifying God: SO THAT you may believe.  Learn to comfort others.  Find complete joy in Christ. Know peace. Be equipped. Know truth. Abound in hope.

I thought about my experiences and pondered the SO THATs, the times the Lord has chosen to reveal His whys.

As a child of an active duty Marine, I dreaded the frequent upheaval where everything was new.  New state. New home. New school. New friends. For a kid who longed for the familiar, the transition was hard. Very hard.  Yet it was in my suffering as a "new kid" where I became keenly aware of the other new kids. I knew how they felt and tried to make them feel less alone. Every single tear I shed was SO THAT I would learn how to comfort and encourage others.  As a young adult, the Lord revealed that my calling is to encourage others. My ministry was born in the midst of childhood tears.

I married in my early 20s.  I was relieved when I finally met the one who would love, protect, and provide for me all the days of my life.  I loved my husband fiercely and my identity quickly became rooted in him. My life purpose was fulfilling the role of Mrs. Reynolds. I looked forward to growing old with him.  Yet after eleven years, my husband walked away from our marriage.  It took years for me to put the pieces of my life back together.  And only now, 30+ years later, I can see what God has done:   

God allowed my marriage to end SO THAT I would experience His true, unwavering and faithful love.

God allowed my identity to be to be taken away SO THAT my true identity would be rooted in Him.

God allowed my perceived source of protection and provision to be removed SO THAT I would learn that He alone is my Protector and Provider.

God showed me I was forgiven SO THAT I would forgive my husband.

While the ending of my marriage was a life-changer, over the years, there have been other SO THAT experiences.

My longtime federal job was impacted by our office closure.  I had to choose between relocating or retiring.  I wasn't keen on either option, and reluctantly, chose to retire.  God provided a local federal contracting job SO THAT, ultimately, I'd be in a better financial position.

I endured countless hard days in the workplace SO THAT I would cry out to the Lord and learn to persist despite the hard.

I encountered difficult people SO THAT I would learn to see them through God's eyes and show grace instead of vengeance.

I learned to stop depending on others for validation SO THAT I would depend on God alone.   

While I won't always know or understand God's reasons or purposes, I do know the SO THATs are crucial pivot points in my life.  It's where I have to make the choice beforehand to trust God in the wait.  It's where I am most pliable.  Where God can shape me to be more like Him. Where He can chisel away my strongholds.  Where I trudge through disappointments and cling to hope.  Where I relinquish control of my need to fix things.  Where I learn to trust without knowing the details.   

Whatever I endure—the hard valleys, difficult seasons, or glorious mountaintops—is to fulfill God's purpose for me.  Every tear, every hallelujah, and every Amen, is SO THAT I can tell my story of God's love, goodness and faithfulness to me in every moment of every day.  To God be the glory!

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16