I recently listened to a chapel service by Andrew Peterson and one of the words He discussed was one coined by JRR Tolkien, “eucatastrophe.”  It means good catastrophe.  Essentially, a eucatastrophe happens at the darkest moment when all seems lost and is a sudden joyous turn of events or victory that is by grace and not heroic acts.  Hearing this finally gave me a word for the events of the last year.

All hope seemed lost, it seemed to be a disaster or catastrophe where only darkness seemed to abound, but God.  It was really a eucatastrophe because the author of the story in His grace provided a way out.  What seemed like the end to me became a sudden joyous turn of events bringing new life in Him.

During the last 10 months, I’ve been left overwhelmed by Him.  He could have stopped at getting me through the dark nights, but He didn’t.  He has continued to clean up the entire mess I made. 

Most of my broken relationships are being renewed in Him.  I’m dreaming again, and have a renewed joy.  I’m physically stronger than I thought was ever possible.  Today, the unsurmountable pile of medical bills has been paid in a way only God could provide. I sit here, honestly, speechless.  Thank you doesn’t feel sufficient.

Today has been a day of being in awe of Him.  While words fail, I can’t stop listening and singing worship songs to Him.  Belting off key my thankfulness and praise to Him.  Praise to the God who sees me, hears me, and faithfully always provides more than I can think or imagine.  No need goes unmet by the author and creator.  How could I so foolishly doubt Him?

I find myself thinking of this quote by Samwise Gamgee in “The Lord of the Rings,” “I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.”

While we may see the eucatastrophes in the stories of our own lives, the ultimate eucatastrophe is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for our sins (Romans 5:8).  The wages of sin is death and Jesus stepped in and paid that price so that we may have eternal life in Him (Romans 6:23).  That is the ultimate sudden joyous victory.   That is the hope we hold on to. 

Maybe you are in the midst of what feels like a catastrophe.  Sometimes the darkness keeps us from seeing the way out and all we see is doom.  Hold on, because when it seems all hope is lost, God steps in with His grace and walks us through the hard parts.  Only He can turn a catastrophe into a eucatastrophe.  May we land on His grace.