Why Does My Bathroom Smell Like Sewage?

I have really been enjoying our time in Alaska. I love the snow, I am so thankful for our church and the wonderful people I have met there. But there have been trials too, most of them connected with our apartment. Our upstairs neighbors are loud--they play loud music, they play loud shooting video games, they curse when they don't do well, and they have loud celebrations between midnight and 5:00 am.

The other trial connected with our apartment is embarrassing, even though it's not our fault. I have resisted posting about it because of this. But tonight I feel compelled. A couple of weeks ago there was a problem with the sewer drain that is located under the peninsula in my kitchen (which I did not even realize was under there). The sewage came up through the grout in our kitchen floor and the next day Jim and Mike came with the wet-vac to clean up under there. Jim sprayed the special disinfectant/anti-bacterial stuff on the wood, which of course had been wet with sewage. Everything was fine after that, except for the cupboard right next to the peninsula, which still smells faintly even though I have sprayed with Clorox Clean-up with Bleach.

Then yesterday we came home to that smell coming from the bathroom. What?! There was no sign of a leak or a problem anywhere. Evidently the sewer vent (which is connected to our bathroom fan somehow) was frosted completely closed, so this morning dear Jim climbed up on the roof to chip the frost off. The smell went away, much to our relief, but now it's back. I wish I could say something funny and laugh it off, but to tell you the truth, these two incidents have been very hard on me.

So why does my bathroom smell like sewage?

After I finished crying about it tonight in bed, I asked myself this. Well, self:

1. God knows. This has not escaped His notice.
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

2. God is in control. He is not wringing His hands.
Daniel 4:35 He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'

3. God ordained this for me.
Job 23:14 He performs what is appointed for me

Amos 3:6 If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
(rhetorical answer: Yes, He has.)

4. God has a purpose in this for me.
Romans 8:28-29 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,

God wants me to be like His Son, Jesus. GOD WANTS ME TO BE LIKE HIS SON, JESUS! And I want to be like Him too! A smelly bathroom is part of His plan to make me like Jesus.

Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son, [Jesus] learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

Even Jesus learned through what He suffered. And so must I. I must learn to submit to and even rejoice in my God-ordained circumstances. They certainly come from God, my loving Father. So I will submit, and pray for the ability to rejoice.

One more thing. This God who teaches obedience through smelly bathrooms is infinitely kind. He purposes our likeness to Christ, and He stands ready to freely give us all things! Even the ability to rejoice in trials.

Romans 8:29, 31, 32 . . . He also predestined [those who love God] to become conformed to the image of His Son, . . . What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?