"Why do bad things happen to good people? If God is so loving, why does he allow evil?"
I know it's not a new question, but I hear it much more often than I did when I was growing up. It appears that since the attack on September 11, 2001, we as Americans have been more bold in our accusations against God. Where did we get the idea that God should step in and protect us from the evil in this world? Maybe it comes from the words in the Lord's Prayer, "deliver us from the evil one?"
But think a minute with me about how a good parent does not step in to rescue a child who made a bad choice, but instead allows that child to suffer the consequences so he or she will think twice about making the same mistake again. This type of parenting is rare in the 21st century. Parents are far more likely to make excuses for their children to get them out of trouble with the neighbors, the school, or the police. Do we also expect God to be lenient and to make excuses for us when we break His laws?
We are treading on dangerous ground when blame God for our pain, our financial trouble, our divorce rate, our crime rates. I don't want to question God when bad things happen. I want to learn from Him. I want to please Him and ask Him to show me the lesson I am to learn. I want God to build my faith and my character through the difficult things in life. I want to be like Job who did not follow his wife's bad advice to, "Curse God and die!" I want to remain faithful and serve God humbly.
I want to be like the people of faith described in Hebrews 11. Not one of the people listed in this chapter had an easy road in life, but they were commended for their faith. Will you and I be commended for our righteousness? Will God speak well of our offerings? Does our faith please God? I believe that God exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him. What about you? Do you and I obey God even when we can't see where He is taking us? I'm looking forward to eternal life in a heavenly city, and I want you to join me there! Hebrews 11 says God is not ashamed to be called our God, and He has prepared a city for us, IF we demonstrate faith in Him.
Can you look at difficult things in your life and see how God has used them to build your faith and to bring you victory over evil? What is your statement of faith? Declare it here!
I know it's not a new question, but I hear it much more often than I did when I was growing up. It appears that since the attack on September 11, 2001, we as Americans have been more bold in our accusations against God. Where did we get the idea that God should step in and protect us from the evil in this world? Maybe it comes from the words in the Lord's Prayer, "deliver us from the evil one?"
We are treading on dangerous ground when blame God for our pain, our financial trouble, our divorce rate, our crime rates. I don't want to question God when bad things happen. I want to learn from Him. I want to please Him and ask Him to show me the lesson I am to learn. I want God to build my faith and my character through the difficult things in life. I want to be like Job who did not follow his wife's bad advice to, "Curse God and die!" I want to remain faithful and serve God humbly.
I want to be like the people of faith described in Hebrews 11. Not one of the people listed in this chapter had an easy road in life, but they were commended for their faith. Will you and I be commended for our righteousness? Will God speak well of our offerings? Does our faith please God? I believe that God exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him. What about you? Do you and I obey God even when we can't see where He is taking us? I'm looking forward to eternal life in a heavenly city, and I want you to join me there! Hebrews 11 says God is not ashamed to be called our God, and He has prepared a city for us, IF we demonstrate faith in Him.
Can you look at difficult things in your life and see how God has used them to build your faith and to bring you victory over evil? What is your statement of faith? Declare it here!
No comments:
Post a Comment