I’m reading through an ancient stack of Guideposts from Grandma Kitty, in particular one from April 1986 when I would have been 11 years old. That year, a book, The Nevertheless Principle, was published about a single word in scripture.
I’d never heard of it, but I’m always intrigued by the power of single words!
I’m skimming this story of a woman who discovers this word–nevertheless–over 90 times in scripture. She writes about her encounter with the truth that God is working nevertheless. In other words, no matter what she feels or experiences in her life, she knows that God is with her.
This little word sustains her as her husband dies from a brain tumor. She prays to God with all of her “What if?” questions including her future, her fear of loneliness, her new single-parent role, and her finances. Each time, God comforts her with this idea that He is not a God of What If? but of Nevertheless. For the author, Marion Bond West, God arrived in each circumstance nevertheless.
After a year of trusting that God is nevertheless in charge and nevertheless loving her, she wakes up and says of a new day,”This could well be the most joyful day of my life so far.”
Something about that statement speaks deeply into my soul. No matter what, this could nevertheless be the most joyful day of our lives.
God is here nevertheless!
(As discovered in Guideposts, adapted from The Nevertheless Principle by Marion Bond West, Chosen Books, published by Fleming H. Revell)