James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 

James 1:5 (ESV)

On May 17, 2013 I woke up like any other day. My dad had the day off and I did as well. Around two in the afternoon my dad was picked up by his friend to drive to a nearby town about twenty minutes away to pick up their shirts for the marathon they were running in together the following morning. While he was gone, I started to settle down to take a nap. As I picked up my phone to set my alarm to wake me up, I saw a text message from my dad asking if I was home. I told him, yes. The next message I got back said, "Don't leave. Something terrible has happened. I'll be home in twenty minutes." My stomach clenched as I waited for him to get home to tell me what was going on.
When he arrived, I heard one of the most horrific things I had ever heard. My dad had witnessed a tragic car accident on the interstate on the way to the neighboring town. I don't feel like it is appropriate to recount all of the details, but the gist of the accident was that a car going seventy five miles an hour went off the road and smashed immediately into a large rock formation in the median. There were two young girls in the vehicle who were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected. One passed away instantly while the other was taken to the hospital and passed away there.
In the minutes, hours, days, and months following this event I found myself repeatedly asking God why this had to happen. Why weren't the girls wearing their seat belts? Why did the car go off the road? Why did my dad have to see it? Why was I the first one to meet him after it happened? And most of all, why did those two little girls have to die? Why, God?
In the coming year, I drove past that section of road more times that I could count on my way back and forth between home and college. Going to God with my sadness and confusion didn't provide me with all of the answers I wanted, but over time, He gave me a wisdom about the situation that I can't put into words. He provided me with a peace about what took place even though I wish it never happened. I still feel sadness when I drive passed that section of road and I probably always will, but I feel like this verse perfectly describes what God has done for me through this trial. It is my prayer that through sharing this experience, others who have have had difficult things happen will be able to ask for this type of wisdom that our Lord graciously promises to give.