Why?
Recently I was watching a show where the worldly ' I don't believe in God ' question was asked: "If there is a God, why would he let something so terrible happen to you?"
It's a good question, because even us Christians find ourselves asking this same question from time to time. The answer I have come up with is this. We don't know God's plan for us. But what we do know is that God does have a plan and it is one that is so much better and so much more fulfilling than what we could ever hope to comprehend. There are times when we pray, we ask God for what we think is best rather than putting our faith in him to do what is best. There will be times when bad things will happen to good people. Things that can not be rationalized by our human minds. This is when we show just how strong our faith is. This is when we can choose to pray to God for the strength to overcome or choose to be angry at him for allowing this thing to happen. Angry for not listening to our prayers and answering them with our will rather than his.
In our lives we will face trials and heartache, but it is by faith that we grow beyond and heal. I think Jeremy Camp (Christian Singer) puts it best in is introduction to his song ' Walk By Faith ' ... When is wife was dying from cancer he recalls constantly praying to God for her to be healed. When she died, he was mad because God didn't heal her the way Jeremy wanted. But then it hit him ... she was healed ... she was a devoted Christian and she was now in a much better place. Jeremy realized that his Faith during this very difficult time was not for God's will but rather his. He states "It's easy to have faith when things are going well ... it's when things are bad that we realize just how strong our faith in God is!"
God has a plan for us and along the road there will be highs and lows but he will never gives us more than we can handle.
(James, Chapter 1:Verses 2-4)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(Romans, Chapter 8:Verse 28)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
(Jeremiah, Chapter 29:Verse 11)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
It's a good question, because even us Christians find ourselves asking this same question from time to time. The answer I have come up with is this. We don't know God's plan for us. But what we do know is that God does have a plan and it is one that is so much better and so much more fulfilling than what we could ever hope to comprehend. There are times when we pray, we ask God for what we think is best rather than putting our faith in him to do what is best. There will be times when bad things will happen to good people. Things that can not be rationalized by our human minds. This is when we show just how strong our faith is. This is when we can choose to pray to God for the strength to overcome or choose to be angry at him for allowing this thing to happen. Angry for not listening to our prayers and answering them with our will rather than his.
In our lives we will face trials and heartache, but it is by faith that we grow beyond and heal. I think Jeremy Camp (Christian Singer) puts it best in is introduction to his song ' Walk By Faith ' ... When is wife was dying from cancer he recalls constantly praying to God for her to be healed. When she died, he was mad because God didn't heal her the way Jeremy wanted. But then it hit him ... she was healed ... she was a devoted Christian and she was now in a much better place. Jeremy realized that his Faith during this very difficult time was not for God's will but rather his. He states "It's easy to have faith when things are going well ... it's when things are bad that we realize just how strong our faith in God is!"
God has a plan for us and along the road there will be highs and lows but he will never gives us more than we can handle.
(James, Chapter 1:Verses 2-4)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(Romans, Chapter 8:Verse 28)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
(Jeremiah, Chapter 29:Verse 11)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
posted by Harley McCarville at 10:21 am
It's interesting how many people assume that the presence of evil-death, suffering, etc.-is concrete evidence that God does not exist. Implying that if God is good why is there evil in the world. If there was a god who was good then evil could not exist. But this thinking is based on the premise that evil is the opposite of good. That's like saying that cold is the opposite of heat or that darkness is the opposite of light. It's simply not true. Darkness cannot be measured. Something cannot become more "dark". The only thing that can change darkness is to add light of which we can have infinite amounts. Evil is not the opposite of good. It is the absence of it. Therefore evil is the absence of God. The only way to decrease the pain and suffering in this world is to add God, not remove him. Praise the Lord that despite the enemy's attempt at removing him from this world that God was, is and always will be.