Difficult day

Today was a day like none other I've had lately.  Something happened in my "world" that I didn't see coming.  Nobody did.  For once, it wasn't something that happened personally to me.  I've had a bunch of emotions running through me and I feel very raw.  Sometimes things don't make sense.  I know that God has a plan, believe me, but there are times when I just don't understand. 

I just got off the phone with my brother and he said the same thing.  It's amazing how when I'm thinking on my own I don't remember things that I do when I'm talking with someone else.  My brother was saying that there has been a lot of difficult things in the past year.  The scripture that came to mind while I was talking with him was James 1:2-4,

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 

I'd have to do a study, but I seem to read more in the Bible about encountering trials than I do about how easy the Christian life is!  God warns us over and over that we will have trials, look at the "characters" in the Bible, I don't recall one of them who had a trial-free life!  We expect our lives to be easy, hey, God's in control, but why is it such a struggle for us when we are tested?  Do we suddenly think that God isn't in control anymore?   We can trust Him completely when things don't make sense.  I just read the following verse:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revealtion of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.
1 Peter 4:12-13

God knows, nothing takes Him by surprise, just trust Him.

The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it's going to be a lot better and a lot bigger. --Elisabeth Elliot