Children of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jO7xhU_Pw

In my "job" I work with families receiving services from DCS (department of child services)...I supervise visitation with parents and work on parenting skills or other areas of need. Although this job can be challenging and emotionally straining, I absolutely love the work I do. It truly is a blessing to have a "job" that doesn't feel like work and allows an opportunity to see the impact you can have on other peoples lives. That said, there are also moments when I feel I am at a dead end road with a parent/family. After months of work, there are some situations where little or no progress has been made. This can be incredibly frustrating at times- when you consider the amount of time and effort you spend with a family, but see no fruit of your labor...

Yesterday was one of those days. I work with a young lady who has three children, is pregnant with her fourth, and is only 18. I sometimes feel at a loss of trying new methods, etc for making progress on her objectives....yesterday, I sat with her for more than two hours in the immediate care center because she was having some concerning symptoms while pregnant. She didn't seem overly concerned and would not have taken herself to see a doctor, so I took her to make sure both she and baby were ok. It was personally frustrating for me to see her lack of concern regarding the pregnancy, when we have experienced such heartache in this department. As the doctor sat down to express concern regarding the health of herself and baby, my heart ached as I watched this young lady show little concern over what the doctor was telling her.
I sat there wondering why God allows such situations? I know several mommies & families who have desperately tried to become pregnant, with no luck. Or other families who have experienced heartache in losing a little one. Why, I wondered, is it so easy for some? I sat there contemplating the unfairness of the situation and challenged God about these situations...

Then I remembered a sermon from a couple weeks ago. The preacher's words rang in my head, "Who are WE to challenge God? Could it be our own arrogance to think God owes us an explanation?" He posed the example: Why would God allow children to starve on Earth? But imagine that God asks us the same question, Why do we allow children to starve on Earth? Aren't we all children of God? Isn't our "job" here on Earth to take care of and love one another? God has infinite love and mercy. He gives us chance after chance to receive his love and forgives us for all our shortcomings. If God can do that for us, can't we show one another the same?

As I sat thinking about this sermon and applying it to this situation, I was overcome with new emotion and attitude. It doesn't matter if I think it's unfair for some so easily become pregnant while others struggle. Who am I to challenge our sovereign God. It's HIS plan and in HIS hands. We are all children of God. Perhaps, part of my role is to show this mother the same type of love and support God gives to us and continue to encourage her to become the best mother she can be. My job isn't to decide what's fair or to challenge God. It's to humbly serve, praise, and trust.