One warm summer evening, my husband and I wandered down to feed our two pigs, who were almost ready to become bacon and ham. As we approached the pen, we stopped in our tracks. The gate stood wide open.
The pigs were gone.
We called until our voices grew hoarse. As daylight faded into darkness, we searched the thick brush surrounding our property, peering behind every bush and listening for the slightest rustle. But there was no sign of them.
Later that evening, we sat quietly over dinner, disappointed and resigned to our loss. Finally, I broke the silence.
"You know," I said, "somebody lost a child today. We only lost two pigs." At the time, those words simply put our disappointment into perspective. Little did we know that years later, we would experience the unimaginable ourselves. We would lose a child.
Nothing prepares a parent's heart for that kind of sorrow. It is a road no one chooses and a pain that words cannot explain. It is bearable only because of the faithfulness of God, who walks beside us when our strength is gone.
Psalm 121:1–2 became more than familiar verses; they became a lifeline: "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Matthew West captures that same hope in his song about life's difficult seasons: "I keep on believing there's a reason for this hard season. I lift up my eyes where my help comes from. I fall in the arms of the Only One who knows the reason for this hard season."
Before going to bed that night, we decided to make one last trip to the pig pen. There they were. Our two runaway pigs had wandered home on their own and were peacefully curled up in their familiar bed, as if nothing had ever happened.
Not every story has such a ending. Some prayers are answered quickly, while others unfold over months, years, or even this side of heaven not at all. Yet God's invitation remains the same.
When life feels out of control, when your heart is weary, and when the answers never come, you can still run home to Him. His arms are always open, His presence never leaves, and His peace is available even while the storm is still raging.
Today, lift your eyes. Your help has never depended on your circumstances. Your help comes from the Lord.
Closing Prayer Father, thank You for being our refuge in every season of life. When disappointments are small, remind us to be grateful. When heartbreaks are overwhelming, hold us close and give us strength to keep trusting You.
Lift our eyes above our circumstances and fix our hearts on Your unfailing love. May we find our rest in Your presence, knowing You are always faithful, always near, and always enough. In Jesus' name, Amen.