Getting through life can suck.
If we're honest with ourselves, I think all of us have felt this way before. Whether we know ourselves to be blessed or not, there are times in our life we just want to hide in a corner and wish we could be somewhere else, in some other time.
It is often in those times that we question God the most. "Where are you?" "Why did you leave me here all alone?" "Why is the world such a hard place to live?" These and other questions may very well find their way into our heads and hearts. We are broken, and seeking answers.
And that's where God wants us.
Ephesians 1:3-5 says,"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."
In our vulnerability, God wants to draw us near; He wants to be our comforter. Paul tells us that God chose us in Christ before he created us. He knew we were going to need a Savior. He knew we were going to mess things up. He knew our pain before we were born.
Yet He still chose to create us.
He knew that all our present suffering would be worth it. He knew that although we were going to face back breaking opposition, the relationship and faith we would gain in Him would be worth it. In our agony, our pain, and our doubts He wants us to cry out to Him.
1 Chronicles 16:35 tells us to "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out,'Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations."
Anger is not a bad thing. There is a lot to be angry about in the world and in Christianity itself. But is that God's fault? Do I have to remind you who turned their back on who?
We need to understand that our present pain and suffering are not a reflection of God's goodness and faithfulness- it is the evidence of our weakness. And God says that's ok. "Come to me all you who are wearied and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)
Being a Christian doesn't make things easy; we are but children learning the ways of our Righteous Father. The time of comfort may not come today, tomorrow, or even in this earthly life: but there will be a day when we will forever declare, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty" (Rev.4:8)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
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