| | Lately, I've been thinking a lot about why bad things happen to good people. And for that matter, why do good things happen to bad people? Why do our loved ones get sick, and sometimes not get better? Why do we lose the people we love the most, and why is it so hard to go on living without them? Why do marriages go bad? Why do circumstances and situations go bad no matter how hard you try to make them better?
It seems like a good and loving God would not let these things happen. Many people don't believe in Him or lose their faith in Him because they struggle with one or many of these questions. I've been there. We've all been there at some point.
There are a few things that we need to understand.
First, God doesn't owe us anything. That may seem harsh at first, but look deeper. From the moment that Eve took the bite of the apple, we were doomed. We live in a fallen world. We are born sin seekers instead of God seekers. What God owes us is instant death. But God is not only a just God, he is also merciful, gracious, and loving. Every moment we have in life...every breath...every step we take...every laugh and every cry...every time you hold a baby or play with your kids... every time you enjoy a good book or a great song... every time you see a beautiful sunrise or a sunset... every time you stop and smell the roses or enjoy the view... every time you hear a good joke and laugh till it hurts... every hug and every kiss... every happy moment in a marriage... every precious moment spent with a loved one... every, well you get the idea... They are all gifts from God, evidence of his extravagant love, mercy, and grace that He loves to pour out on us. Enjoy the moments because they do not last, and sometimes they are taken from us way too soon.
Second, remember, we live in a fallen world and we are constantly dealing with the consequences of sin. Sometimes it's our own sins that cause our misery. Sometimes it's the sins of others. Sometimes we deal with the consequences of the sins of others that don't have anything to do with us. We are just caught in the crossfire. It does not matter how good or bad your are, how rich or poor, or how strong or little your faith is...we all deal with the consequences of sin. One day, this will get the best of us and we will die. It may come sooner or it may come later, but it will happen. This is, I believe, strong evidence of God's justice.
Third, God weeps when we weep and He hurts when we hurt. God feels the pain of his fallen creation more than we do. Things were never meant to be like this.
Fourth, God has and will make all things right. God became a man and came to earth, was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross so that He could make all things right. There will come a day when our timeline ends and a new one begins. For all those who believe in Jesus and accept his gift of death to make things right, we will have a new heaven and a new earth. We will be free of sin, death, pain, hurt, sorrow, sickness, etc... He will wipe every tear away. He will turn our mourning into dancing...permanently. Every thing will be made right once again.
As we celebrate Christmas, and we give and receive gifts, and we enjoy our family...take time to mediate, and to think deeply on the gifts that God lavishes on us. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, the one who makes all things right. But we should also celebrate his mercy, grace, and love that he extends to us every moment we are alive.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday season.
Chris
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| | Posted 12/22/2007 8:21 AM - 90 Views - 6 eProps - 3 comments
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