So much is this a fact that throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest [here] my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ [that I am a prisoner in His service and for Him]. – Philippians 1:13, Amplified Bible (AMP)

A very common question we ask is, “Why would God allow that to happen?” Whenever something tragic, troublesome, or tempestuous comes our way, this question jumps into our minds, saturates our souls, and leaps out of our mouths. Since we are programmed to like immediate answers to immediate problems, we usually don’t wait on God to show us why indeed He allowed such and such and so and so to happen. Instead, we futilely apply human logic to a supernatural riddle, making ourselves frustrated and despondent in the process.

To see the value of waiting on God to solve His own riddles, consider Paul’s words in Philippians 1 and in Philippians 4. Imprisoned in Rome at the time he wrote the Book of Philippians, Paul informed the Philippians in chapter 1 verse 13 that, because of his imprisonment, the name of Christ had been spread throughout Caesar’s imperial guard. Some of the guard had trusted in His name, as had some of Caesar’s own household, according to Philippians 4:22. So Paul’s imprisonment, though unjust, inconvenient, and wrong as it was, became the vehicle God used to reach the souls of Romans who may never have been reached another way.

It is hard to “connect the dots” of understanding while we are in the midst of the storm. But if you can remember that God can and will work everything out for the good of those who love Him, you’ll be able to trust in Him while He slowly but surely shows you just how trustworthy He is.