Ok yeah, you
spotted my title.
Don’t let it
scare you off.
I promise. It
won’t be what you’re afraid of.
So much has
been on my mind lately. Some of you know what a few of these burdens are. And I
am not alone. Many of you who are reading this even now have burdens so much
heavier than my own. Understand that if I’m aware of your burdens, you are
loved and my heart as well as my prayers are with you too.
This past year
or so has been a valley that even though some of us possibly saw coming, we
weren’t prepared for the challenges it has brought us. Not even close.
And just
because some of us saw it coming hasn’t made the reality of it any easier.
Know too,
nothing that has happened, is happening or will happen is a mystery to our God.
He may be
grieved by it or He may hurt with us and it’s impact on us but, it’s no
surprise to Him.
Now, on to my
point in this writing.
Suffering…
Why would a
loving God allow it? How could He allow it?
Oh, my dear
friends. Now, that is a question. And, as easy as it is to ask the question…
There aren’t
any easy answers to it.
Additionally,
just as each of us is a unique creation of our Father, the answers for each of
us are as different and numerous as the stars in the heavens.
To even begin
to answer this question, we must look back to the beginning when God created
Adam and Eve. Suffering and pain. Sin and evil. These hadn’t entered the
picture until that fateful day when Eve gave a listening ear to our great
enemy, Satan.
And before any
of you men start wagging your fingers about how Eve was somehow responsible,
remember that Adam sat silent and said nothing. He just partook of the fruit
because Eve handed it to him.
Oh, and the
fate of that day. One sin began it all. Death and evil entered this world and
like a flood it has filled the existence of all who came after our ancestors.
Suffering
entered our world, and it has never been again what it once was. What it was
meant to be.
But. Thank God
that was not the end. God did not then choose to wipe us out entirely and
forget us for eternity.
Instead, He began
writing a love letter to all of us. And He came up with a plan that would not
only save those who would accept it, but it would also defeat the very evil
that had entered the world so long ago once and for all. A plan that would turn
suffering into the fertile ground in which He could plant seeds for our
redemption.
God has
released the floodgates of His love and provision through the death of His Son
Jesus.
Scripture says
that we are more than conquerors. We can crash the very gates of Hell to take
back those who have been imprisoned by the lies of our ancient enemy.
God also said
that He will take us just as we are and where we are at. We don’t have to clean
up first.
But, be assured
He won’t leave us where we are. His great love and His presence in our lives
will inevitably transform us into the image of Christ. As our selfish selves
are crucified daily, we become a reflection of Christ and His light can lead
others to the foot of His cross which continues to do it’s work across the
ages.
I’ve been
confronted with this truth more and more recently:
Why do we sometimes witness
those we consider to be doing God’s will and who seem to be pillars of faith
and light, suffer?
Yes, why?
Even I am not
immune to this question. To this seeming paradox.
It is a hard
truth. And it comes with some answers that in the here and now… well, they
hurt.
I’m beating a
dead horse here and I won’t apologize. – we were given a great and terrible
gift, we humans.
We were given
the most monumental pandora’s box…. Free will.
We can choose
to accept or reject the love of God.
And just
because you accept God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ does not
exempt any of us from suffering in a fallen and sin filled world.
This is not the
world that we are destined to live in. This world, like our lives is terminal.
It’s ending is on the horizon and God has said as much in scripture. No amount
of conservation or any other plan of humankind will ever save it. Its
destruction is a fact of the future.
Of course, none
of this brings any comfort, does it?!
Yeah, I
understand that.
It doesn’t fix
the pain and suffering of those who battle diseases, hunger, brutal abuse or
neglect.
No, it doesn’t.
But a loving
God has said to us that for those who love Him and are His disciples, we have
been told that all things work together for the good of those who are called
according to His purpose.
Jesus suffered
and died a death that none of us has experienced or could fathom to pay the
debt to a Holy and sinless God so that we are freed from paying that debt in
eternity.
I think many of
us have not pondered this enough, if ever.
But Mike, you
say. You haven’t really answered the question about why those who we view as
saints or really wonderful people, are allowed to suffer.
No, you’re
right.
Are you ready
for it though? Are you sitting down?
I don’t have an
obvious or clear answer or an easy answer. I have my own questions regarding
some people that I know and have known and the suffering that they are or have
endured. And I wish I completely understood the why’s and for what reasons. The
point is that I don’t.
But before you
walk away disgusted with me or scratch your head and wonder if I haven’t lost
it somehow…
Maybe,
sometimes, some of us are allowed to suffer because God sees that with His help,
we are strong enough to walk these valleys. Maybe He can use how we conduct
ourselves through them to lead others to the foot of His cross. Maybe these
times are for our faith to be made so much bigger than a mustard seed. Maybe
they allow our failing spark to become the flame that sets other hearts ablaze
for Jesus.
Too often we
spin our wheels blaming God for what we perceive that we think He should be
doing rather than asking Him to reveal to us what He would teach us or how He
would carry us to the other side of the battlefield.
The scriptures
are clear that for those who would take up their crosses and follow Jesus, that
we will share in His sufferings. Look carefully as scripture and as how many of
Jesus’ disciples actually lived into old age.
My friends. It
has been said that wide and easy is the way that leads to destruction. But
narrow is the way that leads to an eternity with God in the place Jesus left to
make for us.
Life is a journey,
and I can tell you that at 57 years young I don’t have that many answers that
would satisfy those who question the will of God. But I know this… to whom will
you go if Jesus isn’t the answer? To the government? To a philosophy or an
idea? To your pastor? To your friends or your loved ones? I can promise you
this; all of them but Jesus will leave you unsatisfied and without any answers.
You will be left at the end of your days with nothing but regret and fear because
anyone that tells you that there is nothing after your life is a liar and all
lies find their root in the father of lies, Satan.
A relationship
with Christ is the answer. For He said it Himself… that He is the Way, the Truth,
and the Life. He said that nobody can come to the Father (God) but through
Christ.
God’s Kingdom
purposes are way bigger than anything that we can dream up, create, or write
down. And though we may not understand the suffering in the here and now, we
must remember that God said in His great love letter to us that all things work
together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His
purpose.
Let your anchor
be set deep in the Rock that is Jesus. Let your questions become that which
drives you to your knees at the foot of His cross daily. For by no other name
but the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is salvation found.
Let your
suffering and that of those around you be the thing that drives you to love
more and more. To unselfishly give back the gift that has been given to us. Now
that is true worship, isn’t it?
Be the light in
this dark world and never relinquish the hope we have in Christ!!
Seize the day
and crash the gates of hell to see those imprisoned there while they still live
here!
In Christ,
Mike
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