Actually, most of the time it doesn't.
We live in a broken world with a real enemy. Hurts are real and attacks in spirit and body happen. We live in a world where God does not force anyone to follow and obey Him. We live in a world where we try to make up our own rules and expect all to play by them. It seems "truth" is different for everybody these days. And then we wonder why there is such chaos. The world has chosen to go its own way, so God has let it (Romans 1:18-32) and allowed Satan to have a presence here....for a time...and then he will be driven out (John 12:31). Our arrogance, blindness, yearning for independence, and desire to be our own gods can keep us from seeking the one true God, who knows us and our weaknesses, and offers hope and salvation to us.
Human nature has not changed. It started way back in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve faced a dilemna, when they were tempted by Satan, who met them in the form of a snake, with the promise that they could be God. Should they trust their Creator who had loved, provided for them, and given them peace? Or should they disobey the one who had been faithful to them in exchange for a lie that they could make a better way for themselves and be their own god? Yeah, Satan's tactics haven't changed much either. He still tempts today in the same way. A simple act of disobedience caused the fall of man. A simple act of disobedience and man had the knowledge of evil. It wasn't suppose to be that way. God had a reason for not allowing Adam to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He knew what was best for Him, but Adam made a choice to do it his way.
So here we are. We are often unwilling to learn from past mistakes and are still trying to do it our way. Unwilling to humble ourselves, we often will not admit that we do not know what is best for ourselves, and refuse to bow down to our Creator, who does. But apart from God, I guess we really can't. Spiritual blindness is real and Paul spoke of it in 2 Corinthians 4:4, "Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." Apart from God and the filling of the Holy Spirit, humans are incapable of not being led by their sin nature and are vulnerable prey for the enemy.
I don't mean for this to come off like a rant or even a pessimistic view of just biding my time until my time on earth is through. That is not my heart at all. I am blessed to experience the abundant life that God offers through Christ. Praise Him! I see the Holy Spirit at work all the time and know how good He truly is. God's goodness is all around if you open your eyes to see it. Evil will NOT win and through Christ, we can live in peace, even when the world is in tormoil. I guess this post is speaking more to the fair weathered turn our faith...my faith...can take when things don't make sense or when we feel like we can't see God's hand in a situation. I can be guilty of losing sight of the promises of God for a moment in the midst of worldy chaos and confusion. I can be tempted to be my own god.
It also comes from a sadness within me from hearing those who don't know the Lord using tragic acts as their proof that God does not exist or that if He does, He is certainly not good, because why would God let X, Y, or Z happen?
With that being said, believer or not, we will not always understand the way God works. Even the most seasoned believer will never have it all figured out or understand all of His ways. For we are not God. Our minds are not capable.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9.
But that does not negate His goodness. Oh, He is good! It just negates that fact that we serve a God that is only concerned about our happiness and comfort and that the gospel is centered around us. That is not a true gospel. It is actually not about you, me or anyone else for that matter. It is about His son, Jesus Christ. Our purpose is to serve Him, so that Christ can be glorified. We were created for God's pleasure and His glory, not the other way around. The fact is, God does not bow down to man. God doesn't have to defend Himself to anyone. God is who He says He is whether we believe or not. God's power is not dependent on our belief. Nor is it dependent on whether we understand His ways. God is God. His ultimate plan will come to fruition, whether we choose to join Him or not. The enemy WILL be defeated and Christ will reign over His kingdom in victory. Because He is God.
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10
"No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." Revelation 22:3-5
He is sovereign, mighty, merciful, faithful, and loving. Yes, loving. He offers an incredible inheritance to us, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17
What an amazing testimony to the love He has for His creation! It is undeniable proof that He is a loving and merciful God!
1 Peter 1:3-4 states, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,"
I want to stop right here in the verse, because this is where I think a lot of us get really confused and mad at God. Our confusion and frustration is often fueled by the fact that we can not seem to make things perfect NOW. We are often seeking to find heaven on earth. We forget that this world is broken and sin is running rampant. We forget that this is not the destination. When horrible things happen and don't make sense, instead of clinging to the hope of our inheritance, we want to say how unfair God is and how He must not be true to His promises. But this life is not the promise. Our inheritance is not right here, right now. Our inheritance is to come.
Let me pick back up in at 1 Peter 1:6, "In all this [the inheritance in heaven] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7 (parenthesis mine)
John 16:33 Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
The promise was never that life would be perfect, worry free, or would always make sense. No, the promise is that through our faith in Christ, we would have eternal life with Him. And that in the end, Christ will reign victorious forever over His Kingdom.
Scripture tells us that we will never have it all figured out. It will not always make sense. If it did, then there would be no room for faith, which is what brings salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, THROUGH FAITH —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8 (emphasis mine)
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6
I don't always understand why babies die, cancer ravages bodies and lives, tragedies happen where some die and others are spared. I do not always understand why people have to endure unspeakable abuse, live in crippling poverty, and have to make devastating choices in order to survive. I don't always understand, because sometimes things just don't make sense. But through faith, I trust my Lord and know that although circumstances may be beyond my finite comprehension, they are not beyond His. That same finite comprehension of mine will neither change who He is nor my belief in His sovereignty and goodness. I can only cling to Christ. I can only cling to the promises of God, made known through His word. I can only cling to His goodness that has also been made known time and time again through His word and that I have been a witness to daily. I can only cling to the hope that is offered to all, even when lives are turned completely upside down from tragedy or adversity. I cling to the fact that beauty so often comes from the ashes in life, praise be to God. I cling to the fact that contrary to the often negative media (and the sort of negative tone in this post), God's goodness is happening all over the place all the time. I cling to the fact that we can know Christ and be completely transformed by Him, and although we may suffer here on earth, we WILL NOT suffer in eternity, if our faith is in Him. I cling to the fact that the pain and trials on earth are no comparison to the immense joy that awaits in heaven. I choose to cling to Christ, who is the hope of glory and the ultimate victor over sin, this world, and the enemy.
I love you, Lord. Forgive me when my faith waivers and when my belief is weak. You are sovereign and you are GOOD...ALL THE TIME!
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