I have to admit that I hold in high regard those who write blogs on either a daily or weekly basis. Even those who do weekly blogs usually do more than one.
On the flipside, when I sit down to work on an article for our church blog, which I try to do every two weeks or so, I sometimes run in to writer’s block. With so much happening in the world and the church around the globe, there is plenty to address. No doubt you would agree.
Well, in this blog, and others that are to follow, I would like to share some thoughts on different topics that I wish I had all the answers to and stuff that I need to be thinking about as a follower of Jesus as we deal with the world around us.
Today, let us begin with one that all of us can relate to. Let me start by saying that what we are going to look at, I wish I had all the answers to the various struggles and situations that we face as we walk life’s journey. What do I mean? Well, the fact is that sometimes in the midst of a difficult time, people are looking for answers to the “whys” of what they are going through. You may have experienced that yourself.
And trying to answer the “why” questions is not always easy. But with fear and trembling, let me share with us some thoughts on this very difficult subject. I don’t have all the answers and what I say in this blog may not answer all the “why” questions, but bear with me as I we try to deal with most sensitive areas.
In approaching this subject, or any subject about life, we will look to the Bible for guidance and answers. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us God’s Word has been given to us, and part of the reason is so that we can look for help and direction when it comes the questions we have.
The first thing to note is that we live in a broken world, a world tainted by sin. Romans 3:10-23; Psalm 51:5; Genesis 3, Ephesians 2:1-3, to name just a few passages, point out the fact that sin has invaded our planet. Man rebelled against God and as Romans 1 tells us, the human race for the most part chooses to ignore God’s attempts to offer the help we need.
Man is born in sin. Unfortunately, sin has infected everyone, and sometimes in the midst of that, suffering happens, even to those who we think should not be touched by difficulties, whoever they might be. I cannot explain why some things happen to one person and something different to another. I only know that sin is at work in different ways in our world.
Having said that, there is a second thing to keep in mind. God is not hidden nor unaware of what is happening around us. He is not asleep or uninvolved. I must remind myself that Christians are not immune to trials and difficult times. I wish I could say that is not the case, but that would not be accurate and surely not Biblical.
I must also remember that God is not untouched by pain. Jesus came to earth, and suffered hurt and anguish. The death of Christ on a cross was not without difficulty. He also experienced betrayal, accusations about His character, etc.
Never forget that God understands what we are going through. He experienced things too. We do not always think of that when we are going through hard times, but just knowing that God has been there can help us realize that He will not tune us out or turn away from us. As Romans 8:31-39 tells us, nothing can separate us from the love of God, no matter what it is.
A third thing that I must call to mind is that as a follower of Jesus, I live by faith. I may not always understand everything going on, but I know this…God is not silent and He has not forgotten us. Hebrews 11 gives a description of faith, and the key element of faith is Who we have our faith in.
One last thought. Everyone has faith in something that will help them get through life, whether the good or difficult times, whether they recognize it or not. It may be a person, job, stuff, or themselves, that they lean on.
People, though, can let us down, we can mess up, our security found in things can change depending on situations and circumstances. When it comes to God, He is unchanging (James 1:17), always consistent in His character, and He tells us that He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). I must trust in that fact.
And, remember that faith is not based on feelings. It is based on what I know about God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible and through Jesus, God in human flesh. A look at the life of Jesus reminds us of the fact that God cares and wants to be involved in our lives. He is here for us whether the good or difficult times of life that we encounter.
In our next blog, we will continue talking about handling life and all that it throws at us. In closing, though, let me encourage us to let God love us. Go to Him, and even when we may not understand everything, trust that He does know what is going on, and He is there for us. Never think He does not care. Nothing could be further from the truth.
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