God is good all the time.

When I was in my 7^th standard, a trip had been organised for my class. It was this interesting event which I was looking forward to from the day school had reopened after the winter holidays. And though I knew that it was almost impossible for my dad to actually allow me to be a part of this, I was hoping that in some way, some miracle would take place, and that dad would just let me go.

That, of course, never happened. My friends called me half an hour before they started off, asking me to come because even the Headmistress was coming and nothing could possibly go wrong with her around.

I pleaded with my dad but he would hear none of it.

That night, I didn’t get a single wink of sleep. I refused food, and cried the whole night. It felt like it was the end of the world. It felt like I would never be happy ever again.

Mom came in the middle of the night to console me and tell me why dad would not let me go. But in my childish arrogance, I put my palms over my ears so I wouldn’t hear a word of what my mother said.

I didn’t want to hear why dad did not want me to go. I didn’t want to hear why he was doing this.

Many years later, now, when I think about that incident, I realise that going to that trip wasn’t so important after all. And life didn’t end with dad not allowing me to go. The pain is not the same anymore. In fact, there is hardly any pain at all.

Dad had good reasons for not allowing me on that trip. Of course I never spoke to him about it, so I still do not know. But it wouldn’t make any difference even if I did find out because I know now that he did not let me go, not for the fulfilment of any ulterior motive, but only because he loves me, and he wanted to protect me.

Sometimes in life we are faced with similar situations. We know that this is not God’s plan for us. Yet, we feel that everything would have gone right if only He would have allowed it to happen. And like a foolish child, we cover our ears, refusing to hear about His infinite love for us.

We feel devastated. We feel like our world has come to an end and that nothing can make things better anymore.

But with the passage of time, the pain heals. It heals because God, in all His wisdom, knows what is best for us. He knows that it is ok for us to suffer temporary pain, because He is eventually going to give us happiness and boundless joy, in His own mysterious ways.

All sorrows must pass. They always do, no matter how hopeless things might seem at the moment.

Because even in sorrow, sadness or pain, God is good; God is good all the time.

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' ~Jeremiah 29:11