Trying To Understand The "Why" Question In Suffering

Psalms 10:1 ESV  Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? 

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Headline News:

• Bus Crashes On Oregon Highway Killing 9 Injuring 38
• School Shooting In Conneticut - 26 Dead
• Charred Bodies Found After Japan Tunnel Collapse
• Mall Shooting Leaves 2 Dead and 1 Critically Injured
• Divorce Rates In The US Are At An All-Time High
• Iran Intensifies Persecution Of Christians
• Short Rains Intensify Kenya Food Insecurity
• 16,000 Children Die Daily Of Hunger Related Causes
• Natural Disasters Pose Serious Financial Threat To Asia

When we look at the events that are occurring around the world one of the first questions that most of us ask is "why." Why do these terrible things happen to so many people? Why do not only the unsaved suffer, but those who love and follow Jesus as well?

I was recently visiting a church in another state and the day my family and I were attending they had a memorial video for the passing of the daughter of the pastor. She was a beautiful five year old girl. Her big eyes and contagious smile would capture of the heart of anyone who was around her. Her precious little life was stolen from her a few days prior to Christmas of an asthma attack. As I watched the video my eyes welled up with tears. I had never met this precious little saint but I did understand the pain of her passing. After the video, mom and dad came onto the stage and shared their feelings about their grief of loss and their hope for what God is doing through this tragic event in their life. Many wept, many listened in a sort of mesmerized disbelief, and as I listened, I heard hope in their voice.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to His children? That question is often on the minds of many in times of trials and temptations. Why do we go through ugly bitter divorces in the church? Or why do our little ones die too soon? Why does disease strike at the most inopportune times? What about job losses and not being able to care for some of our basic needs?

The Psalmist in Psa 10:1 asks: Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Often it appears that God is far from us when we fall into our deepest need. The waves of the enemy are crashing on our shore and there is no place to escape from drowning. There is no rest from our pain and suffering. The peace that surpasses all understand has eluded our anxieties. Where are you God when we need you most?

David cried out, "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?" (psa 13:1-2) David, the man after the heart of God cries out to God... "Why?"

There are many Biblical examples of the saints of God asking that same question. "Why, O LORD, have you forsaken your child?" I remember a time several years ago where everything in my own life seemed to be spinning out of control. My marriage was on the rocks, my work load was overwhelming me to the point of major anxiety and panic attacks, my emotional and spiritual health was at its lowest. I remember crying out to God often, "Lord, if you are good then why am I going through such turmoil? I have children and I would never treat them the way I feel like you are treating me right now!" My anger and frustration was directed at God as if He were the cause of my woes. My wife had recently recovered from cancer and now this? "What was God doing to us," I thought.

What was God doing?... That is a really good place to start. And when it is asked with a genuine desire to understand His ways I believe we can find answers in His word. The key words in my question was "to us." As if God was simply trying to punish me or cause me harm. God wasn't doing anything to us, rather, He was doing these things "for us."

When we look at the story of Job we see some similar questions being asked. Job had finally came to a place of frustration in his trials to the point of even asking God, "Why did I not just die at the moment I was born?" (paraphrase Job 3:11) "Lord, why did I not just come out of the womb and die?" It would have been better for me to die than to go through all of these troubles. I have been there. God, please just take me now! All of these things you are allowing me to go through are simply too much for me to bear and I would rather just die than continue to go through them.

We even find Jesus asking the Father to remove the suffering He is about to endure. "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." (Luke 22:42) No one wants to walk into a situation that will cause harm, difficulties, and suffering. It isn't a natural place for us to be. But as we see from the prayer of Jesus, we are to desire the will of the Father over our circumstances. Yes, Jesus willingly went to the cross knowing beforehand what the outcome was going to be. What is our end going to look like in this trial? That is a piece to our suffering puzzle we may never fully understand. Never-the-less, God calls us to desire His will over our comfort. Yet, in the midst of our suffering He is always there to bring us comfort when we draw close to Him. One of the ways Jesus will bring us comfort during suffering is to grab hold of the Scriptures. Psalm 119 is a clear example of the connection between our affliction and God's Word:

• Psalms 119:25  My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!
• Psalms 119:28  My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
• Psalms 119:43  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules.
• Psalms 119:50  This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
• Psalms 119:61  Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.
• Psalms 119:75-77 ESV  I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.  (76)  Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.  (77)  Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Putting our focus on the Word of God is inexplicably tied to our comfort and understanding. As we read through the book of Job we realize some things about his story that we can relate to our own story. Here are just a few:

• We should trust that God is working behind the scenes: We often neglect to see what God might be doing because we are focused so closely on what is happening right in front of us. I often hear well meaning Christians say, "You need to look at this from an eternal perspective." And yes that is good, but often eternity seems so far away. I want to see what God is doing right now... Remember that God is not only doing a work in this trial for eternal purposes, but He is also doing a work in many ways for you today.
• Though it is good to confide in friends, they may not have the right answers: Often we hear from our friends advice that doesn't seem to fit quite right in the situation we are going through. After Job had a conversation with his friends there was more confusion than solution. Yes, it is good to receive sound advice, but the best thing his friends ever did was to sit quietly by his side and walk with him in is suffering.
• We should not turn from God and question His goodness: After Job was done questioning God regarding the trials he encountered, God rebuked Him for his unbelief. One of the most profound cries of forgiveness is contained in the book of Job. Job 42:1-6 ESV  Then Job answered the LORD and said:  (2)  "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  (3)  'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.  (4)  'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.'  (5)  I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;  (6)  therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

So why do we go through trials and suffering? Why did Job have to lose his entire family only to have twice what he originally had restored to him? Why did that pastor lose his daughter at such an early age? Those are really good questions... I am not sure we can answer each and every individual "why" question about suffering, but we can find from the Word that there are some universal reasons for it. Trying to answer why to our individual circumstances may be futile. It is probably void of meaning and if you ask ten people why you are going through a particular time of suffering, you may get ten very different answers.

So why does God allow suffering? 

• To Draw Us Closer To Him: John Piper, in a sermon on suffering, says this, "No one every cries out to God for help when they are sitting on a beach, looking at a sunset, drinking a drink with a little umbrella in it." Well, maybe he said it a bit differently, but the meaning is the same. When we go through difficulties we are forced to draw close to Jesus for our comfort, peace, and joy.
• To Bring Him Glory: It may seem a bit strange that suffering brings Glory to God but it does. And it is intended to. When Jesus went to raise Lazarus from the dead he told Mary and Martha, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." And in the story of Jesus healing the blind man he tells the disciples, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." God wants to bring Glory to Himself in our afflictions.
• For Times Of Discipline: God does discipline those He loves. (Heb 12:4-11) We should not make the mistake in assuming all difficulties are because of disobedience. We should, however, spend time in fervent prayer asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to us our sin and see if what we are going through could be a byproduct of our sinful and disobedient behavior. 
• To Refine Us: (Isa 48:10-11; 1Pet 1:6-7) God uses testing and trials to refine His people. Often affliction will come to a person and they will fall away. Difficulties display whether our affection to God is true, even in the difficult times.
• To Make Us More Like Christ: (Phil 3:10) As we enter into a time of suffering and trials we discover things about ourselves, our faith, and our character that may not be revealed at any other time in our walk with Christ. To share in the sufferings of Christ will make us more like Him.

These are just a few examples of why we may go through suffering and trials. Whatever the reason may be in your particular situation, one thing rings true in all we go through... Jesus is no stranger to the struggle we are facing. He has been tempted and tested in every way, yet was without sin. He will comfort us when we are feeling alone in our greatest time of need in ways beyond our understanding. (Heb 4:15-16) He will never forsake us in our trials and promises to provide us with the strength we need to overcome it. The Eternal Son of God suffered to the point of death, even death on a cross.

However, there is hope. He overcame the grave and defeated death's sting. That is not to say that we don't grieve during hard times. Of course we do. Jesus defeating death brings us hope. It gives us a purpose and a meaning to all we go through that allows us to look to the things eternal. Our difficulties may bring others to Christ because of how we get through them. They may bring us to our knees in fervent prayer in ways we never experienced before. Suffering will afford us the blessing of seeing His hand work miraculously in and through our situation. Though the pain and sting is there, we are assured of one very important thing:

Our Struggles Wont Last Forever...

Revelation 21:3-5 ESV  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  (4)  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  (5)  And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." (emphasis added)

Come To Me All Who Labor...

Mat 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

When it comes to verses in the Bible that bring comfort, for me, this one has to be near the top of the list. As I read again through the Gospels, I am encouraged by the love, instruction, gentleness, and comfort we receive from our Savior.

In the next series of posts, my desire is to look closely at these three verses in the book of Matthew. I am looking to discover what the Lord would have for you and me. As I read these verses, I often just scratch the surface. But this time, I want to swim a little lower. I want to dive into deeper water and see if there is more to these verses than meets the eye.

Blessings,
Keith

Finding Hope In Our Struggles

Sometimes we experience a tragic event, loss of a loved one, or some form of physical suffering and we become angry and bitter. Frustration at God and those around us pours from our life like water from a faucet and the only way to close the valve is through the grace of God. I ran into a gentleman today who has experienced great loss. He had a family member die tragically and her fourteen year old son was there to witness it. Unfortunately it shook his faith to the point of bitterness towards God and anger at the church. He lost his family member, his faith, and his hope in a matter of seconds and his life will be forever changed because of it.

Has this happened in your life? Have you ever been so frustrated at God because of a tragic situation that you became angry? I know I certainly have and I believe it is a common reality we share as Christians from time to time.

2Co 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2Co 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 2Co 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2Co 4:18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 

Paul says something in this part of 2Cor that took me several years to really grasp. During a difficult situation about 10 years ago He led me to these verses and I really looked them over and studied them. I had to believe that what I was going through was important to God and that His hand was working through this time in my life. A couple key words for me were "do not lose heart" and "light momentary affliction."

Paul had gone through some tremendous difficulties in his ministry and his life and for him to be able to call what he went through momentary light affliction and to not lose heart really got my attention. I wasn't sure what it was that Paul had, but I certainly wanted it. The more I studied these verses the more I began to realize what they were saying to me...

Here is my paraphrase, "Keith, what you are going through is hard, really hard. But you are going through it for a purpose and that purpose is so that my grace will be revealed to you and others. Through that grace will come overwhelming thanksgiving in your life because you aren't comparing your difficulty to the things of this world but to the things of God. Those things are unseen right now. One day they will be glorious and this trouble now will be so small in comparison to what is to come. Don't give up, don't lose your faith, and keep your eye on those eternal things."

I know that suffering is hard. I know that some who read this today are going through intense difficulties and my heart and prayers go out to you. I also know that Paul is right. I have and continue to experience God's grace daily in my struggles. I pray for you today to embrace the Lord during your difficulties, love Him with all your heart, and trust that He is working out far more than what we can see in front of us. As for the gentleman that I was talking with today. He is still bitter at God after 10 years. I encouraged him not to give up on his faith. It is between him and God now...

Lord, please help us when we suffer. Lead us through our difficulties and help us to not become angry at you and blame you for them. You are a loving kind God and we know that you care for your children. In your name, Amen

God Will Deliver From Our Past Troubles

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, (nasb)

Every human being has the ability to rise above his or her circumstances and succeed in Christ in spite of their upbringing, their sinful rebellion against God, or their consequences they have to endure.

I don't know how many times I have heard someone say that there is no way they will ever be in God's favor because they have such a horrible past and God could never accept them for the things they have done. Others have shared that they have been the victim of many horrific abuses and they don't know how God could have allowed it or don't even want to seek Him because He must not love them. Or still others say that they are committing such horrible sin currently in their life that God could never forgive them. There is nothing in any of these people's stories that could be further from the truth.

Growing up I was the victim of abuse. In order to escape the pain and trauma of this I resorted to smoking and drinking at a very early age which eventually led me to using drugs and alcohol as a way of escape. The emotional pain sometimes was so difficult to bear that I would leave my home and instead of going to school I would drive my car to a remote spot and get high and sleep my day away in hopes that when I woke up things would be better. When I woke however, the pain and the problems that came from my trauma never left. There were numerous times that suicide seemed like the only way of escaping the anxieties and depression that came from my difficulties and God always provided a way of escape. Finally, after many years of trying to run from or mask my struggles from myself and others I was introduced to Jesus Christ. I heard His call in my life and I answered it. At that time I had finally reached my end and I figured it was probably my last resort. The emotional pain had finally taken control of my life so greatly that I could no longer bear the burden alone. Jesus accepted me right where I was. He spoke to me the night I surrendered to Him and the next morning evangelists came to the door of my home and invited me to church the following Sunday.

I would love to say that after surrendering my life to Jesus everything was great and my problems went away. But that isn't the way it works... God has a way of gently allowing us to work through the struggles in our life with His help and grace. He won't just let us waste our lives and stay stuck in the same old struggles and sin that we bring to our walk with Him. He wants to strengthen us and then use us for His purpose in bringing Glory to Him even in our pain and struggles. Yes, He does heal our wounds and restore our souls, but sometimes the process takes time.

(Psa 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.)

There is a belief out there amongst some Christians that God will keep us from sorrow and suffering and when you give your life over to Him things will be great. He will get you a job, He will heal your pain, He will help your marriage be successful and so on. Yes, God does work in our jobs, our marriages, and our pain, but He also calls us to endure through these circumstances. He never promises us that He will help us avoid them. (2Tim 2:12 (a) If we endure, we will also reign with Him;) God wants to build our character in our struggles rather than guide us around them and avoid them.

I am far from "cured" from my childhood trauma. Even now after over 20 years of walking with the Lord I have frequent times where the things from my past creep up and affect my life and my relationships today. But God is faithful to show me grace and forgive me when I have done or said something hurtful or painful towards others. In addition to His help He has given me a wonderful wife who has walked by my side and sometimes actually led me along during my healing process.

Psa 34:17-19 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. (nasb)

God cares about my problems and yours. When we turn our life over to Him we can begin taking the things that burden us and lay them at His feet for healing and repair. God doesn't reject us or judge us when we are following Christ and He will allow us opportunities to succeed that the world will reject. It doesn't matter what you have been through or what you have done in your life, there is always opportunity for good things to happen when you are serving Christ. He accepts everyone who humbles themselves and calls out to Him for help.

Rom 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Much more could be said about my past, God's sovereignty, and our ability to thrive even when the devil tries to hold us back... But that will have to be another day.

May the Lord bless you and keep you today.

He Will Wipe Away Every Tear

Rev 21:4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

One day the trials of this life will cease. There will no longer be any pain in our lives to mourn over. No physical pain to anguish over and no emotional pain to weep over. Jesus will wipe the tears from our eyes and love us into eternity. There will be unending joy because death will be defeated and life will be triumphant... one day.

But what about today? What about the pain you and I might be going through right now? Pain from losing someone very close to us to cancer. Financial struggles and the disappointments that come from not being able to provide for your family. The thought of packing up all the bags of clothes and toys and everything you own and moving on yet again. Starting over, broken relationships, shattered dreams. These things are real and they happen to all of us eventually. There is hope that one day the tears will dry up, but until that day what do we do?

2Co 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

We seek out our comfort in Him. Jesus is our comfort and our shelter from the many storms that crash upon our shores. Not only in eternity but in the here and now. 2Cor 1 tells is that He is the Father of mercies and the God of ALL comfort. He will comfort us when our loved one dies. He will comfort us when we lose heart and don't feel like taking another breath. He will comfort you and me when trouble comes our way unexpectedly. I encourage you to turn over all your affliction to Him. Don't hold back, don't try to fix it, and just trust in Jesus. He always does what He promises, if He didn't He wouldn't be God.

Are you needing His comfort today? He is there waiting for you to cry out to Him and put all your cares and trouble on His shoulders. In addition to crying out to Jesus I encourage you to seek a friend who will pray with you today. We all go through trials in our life and Jesus wants us to be comforted and then in turn comfort others.

Cry out to Him, pray for healing, and seek out others...

Remember the words of Jesus today:

Mat 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

More resources to help those who are suffering.

God Will Help Us Psalm 30: 5-12

Psalm 30:5-12 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. Now as for me, I said in my prosperity, "I will never be moved." O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong; You hid Your face, I was dismayed. To You, O LORD, I called, And to the Lord I made supplication: "What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness? "Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper." You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Embrace Suffering

The more I study God's Word the more a reoccurring theme keeps coming up for me. Christians will endure hardship and suffering. I remember several years ago I was dealing with many struggles and the whereabouts of God was a mystery to me. I met my wife to be and the two of us each had two children prior to us coming together. We had grand plans of getting married and raising this almost "Brady Bunch" of kids together. We would have never ending green pastures and eternal blue skies and life would be swell.

Well, once our fantasy turned to reality and I discovered that raising a brood was far more difficult than what I had anticipated I began turning to my own inner strength to try to get through difficulties. I basically ditched God because He was allowing difficulties to happen in our life, and being good Christians we were taught early on that all good things come from the Lord. Well, if all good comes from God, then this bad stuff happening must be coming from Satan, and if this is the case then where on earth did God go?

Boy, was my theology messed up... As Lori and I jumped over one hurdle after another we could see our marriage slowly fading to frustration and difficulty. I turned my focus to work, church ministries, and myself rather than turning my heart to God. I came to the decision that I just wasn't doing enough good things for God and that must be the reason why He seems to have disappeared and all of these difficulties were occurring. After a couple of years of being too tired, too frustrated, and too ticked off we were encouraged to meet with a woman who was a counselor and minister of prayer. She lived about 8 hours from our place and had a beautiful home she uses as a bed and breakfast. Couples could meet with her for a weekend, get ministered to, well fed, and intensely work through some of the struggles they have with their relationship with God and each other. This weekend changed our lives.

The turning point for Lori and myself was that we realized God is not a God who hands out cotton candy and balloons to all the good little boys and girls at the playground of life. We discovered the God of the universe that weekend. He is the grand creator and has a wonderful plan for our lives, which is to bring glory to Him in all things. Whether it be through suffering, hardship, blessings, or trials, His purposes will prevail through it all. Once we came to terms with the fact that we saw God as someone who we tried to control and used Him as our wish maker rather than our God, our lives changed in a moment. God's love for me and my wife was far greater than we had ever imagined up until that weekend. We, for the first time, saw God in our suffering and struggles as well as our blessings. We felt Him when Lori was going through cancer treatment and a few other times, but we didn't have that daily communion with God because we were looking at Him through the wrong eyes.

Coming to know God is a daily practice. When we meet someone here on earth and want to get to know them we spend time with them. Same goes with God. To know and truly understand Him we began to spend time with Him daily. Through our daily walk we have discovered a new perspective to Him and His goodness to us in all situations. The main change that came in my life through this weekend retreat and years of daily study is that God doesn't disappear during moments of affliction and suffering. Just the opposite really. When I began to look at our difficulties as being used by God rather than being because God was not present, I was able to face and endure them.

• Job 36:15 "He delivers the afflicted in their affliction, And opens their ear in time of oppression.
• Psa 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.
  
• Isa 48:10 "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
  
• Mat 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
  
• Php 4:12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
  
• 2Co 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
• 2Co 4:17-18 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
  
• Php 1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
  
• 2Ti 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
• Luk 24:26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"
• Rom 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
  
• 2Ti 2:3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
  

It isn't easy when hard times come. The Bible has many references to when God's children go through struggles, hardship, affliction, persecution and pain. The Gospels are filled with the sufferings of Christ. Luke 24:26 tells us that Christ needed to suffer in order to enter His glory. As Christ followers we too must suffer. It just goes with the territory.

I encourage you today to embrace suffering and hardship as a tool for God to bring glory to Himself and a way to shape our character. He is there to comfort and bring strength during our struggles and if we embrace Him rather than reject and blame Him we will see his glorious peace come upon us during our times of difficulty.

Lord, I thank you today for the struggles that you have placed into my life. Even though they are difficult to face alone, I know that you are with me. Your rod and your staff will comfort me. You have shown me Lord that you are ever present in my struggles and I give you praise not for you taking away my struggles, but for helping me endure them. Please help me to be faithful to you in the midst of them. Amen

God's Hand During Suffering

I can remember several years back when my wife was going through chemo we felt an amazing closeness to the Lord that we had never felt prior to the diagnosis of the illness. During that time, God's hand worked mightily in our lives and we were blessed almost daily through others and through our church.

I was reading through the story of Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer recently and came across a quote that I will probably never forget. Ridley and Latimer were two Bishops during the Protestant Reformation in England who stood by their faith and would not compromise. In 1555 Ridley and Latimer were brought before the panel of Bishops to answer to the charge of heresy. They were told to renounce their errors and conform to the ways of the "church"

Well, to make a long story of martydom short, the two of them stood firm till the end. As they were to be turned over to the secular authority and eventually be burned at the stake, it is recorded that in a conversation between the two, Ridley said to Latimer, "Be of good cheer, brother, for God will either assuage (reduce) the fury of the flame or else strengthen us to bear it." Shortly after this the two went up in flames.

The faith of the average American Christian doesn't hold a candle to the faith of the early church father's. (No pun intended) When the fire is around us, many of us fall away from the faith rather than embrace it. Stepping back into the old patterns of behavior and methods of survival rather than crying out to the Lord to rescue us. We are to be a testimony to the work that the Lord is doing in our lives. When we show the people around us a different way to deal with the pain and suffering we encounter than the way the world deals with it, then we are likely to bring others to faith in Christ as well.

I want to share a post from a good friend of mine. He is the author of the book, "If God Disappears." It is a story of sharing the gospel even in the most difficult of times in our life. I hope you benefit from his post.

God Bless!

Finding My Hope In Him

I was watching the movie "The Visitor" this evening. It is about a young man from Syria who gets caught in the immigration system of the United States and the futile efforts of his friend and mother trying to do everything in their power to get him released. The longer he was incarcerated the more hopeless he became in his situation. He put all of his hope into his mother and friend and relied on their strength to see him through. It was a very good movie but it left me empty inside because the ending was far more real than I had thought it was going to be. When we watch movies we are generally looking for the ending to be fulfilling and this ending was far from fulfilling. As with real life, sometimes the ending doesn't leave us smiling as we walk out of the theater.

After I finished watching the movie I opened up God's Word to do some study, but I couldn't shake the reality of the movie and the truth it spoke about people in our country who are living daily in fear of losing everything they have come to know here. Whether it be through deportation, loss of a job or loved one, or through a tragic accident, we have difficulties around us on a daily basis that leave us hopeless. It really solidified my understanding of where my hope comes from. Not in the things of this world, but in Christ himself. It also started me thinking about those around the world who are being persecuted every day for their faith. And those who are living in turmoil just because they were unlucky enough to be born amongst the perils of their society. Not to mention those who go hungry and their daily struggle to get a speck food for the table. Sometimes things in life just aren't fair!

We are a blessed people living in this country and many a day goes by that I grumble over the little things in life. How selfish of me. I am in a land of plenty while my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are starving and going without. I was rolling through a community around Seattle this morning on my train and I couldn't help but notice there was a fast food chain on each corner of a particular intersection of a busy highway. And each drive through was full of cars. I chuckled to myself at the time and thought how crazy it is that half way around the world there are families sharing a two cent bowl of rice for a week and we are able to drive up to a building and receive as much food as we can cram into our faces for about 5 bucks.

I asked the Lord "why is this the way it is?" Well, as of this moment I don't think He has answered me yet. But as I read in His Word this evening I came across this passage from Isaiah.

Isa 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Isa 41:18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Isa 41:19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,
Isa 41:20 that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.(esv)

It is comforting to know that even when there is nothing to eat or drink, God will not forsake us. Jesus tells Satan in Matthew chapter 4 ... "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" God, in the midst of our famine, nakedness, and troubles, will always be there to strengthen our faith in Him and give us our portion as He sees fit.

As I reflect on my life and the choices that have placed me where I am at today, I thank God that even though I haven't always relied on Him, He has always been there to strengthen me. My hope lies in Him and Him alone. The economy will fail us. Our government will fail us. Our friends and families will fail us. God will never fail us and when we put our hope in Him we will be renewed every day.

I encourage you today to place your hope in Jesus. Lay down at His feet the burdens of the day and He will give you strength.

Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (esv)

Where Is Your Treasure?

Mat 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I heard it said once that if you look at a man's checkbook you will also see his heart. During this current economic crisis, many people I have come into contact with share with me the struggles they are having because they have lost so much money. The stock market has taken a huge downturn, retirement accounts have lost substantial money, and people's lives have been turned upside down. Not to mention the fact that we can no longer buy everything we want to satisfy all of our desires.

I encountered a gentleman a couple of days ago who is 74 years old. He owned a funeral home for forty years and sold it ten years ago and retired. He and his wife have been living a comfortable life... until recently. He shared with me that due to the changes in the economy his retirement income has dropped 70% over the past two years and he is an on call crew driver with a company that shuttles around railroaders. He's 74 years old and working an on call schedule all hours of the day and night for minimum wage. How discouraging I thought... but I noticed that there was something about him that was different. He wasn't grumbling about it, he wasn't all ticked off, he was content and happy. He knows where his real treasure is stored and he understands that this temporary setback is nothing compared to the glory he will see in Heaven.

As I was driving home I began to think about where my heart is regarding this matter. I have never been very materialistic, and neither has my wife, so it is easy to convince myself that my heart is in the right place because I don't have a lot of material possessions. But the more I prayed and thought about it the easier it was for me to see that my belongings are really only a part of the issue. The main theme that I get from Matthew 6:19-21 is "Where is my devotion?"

Am I using my limited time and resources solely to please myself or am I giving all that I am to the Lord and making deposits into my eternal bank account? The Lord knows I need food and clothing and shelter. Matthew 6:31-33 tells me that if I seek His kingdom first all of the things will be added to me.

Material things will come and go in my life and as long as my security, pleasure, and treasure are stored up in heaven, then no economic downturn, thief in the night, or even prosperity will cause my heart to stumble.

Thank you Lord for providing for all of my needs. Whether times are good or times are tough I choose to store up my treasure in Heaven rather than here on earth. Help me to remember that where my treasure is, there my heart will be also...

Casting All on Him

2009-05-06

1Pe 5:6-11 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Bearing The Burden's Of Others

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Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

I was working with a fellow employee today that I have seen over the years in the crew room but have only worked with one time in 5 years. We didn't know each other very well so as we were going over the necessary paperwork for our duties of the day we were discussing all of the trivial things people usually start out with... How is the weather, looks like the Portland Trail Blazer's are going to lose another playoff series, and do you want to stop for coffee before we get out to the train?

As we were driving to the train I could tell that my engineer was someone I connected with and since he was wearing a Washington Nationals baseball cap I figured that once we got on the train we would at least be able to talk baseball. After four hours of getting our train built and all of the proper people being contacted we were on our way south.

So here goes, at least 6 hours in a locomotive with someone I hardly know and a lot of time to either sit and stare out the window or strike up conversation. There are many trips where I don't connect at all with my engineer and those trips are incredibly difficult. This was not one of those trips. Within a couple of short hours we discovered that we have many things in common. Little League baseball, kids doing dumb things that we just go "hello?" about, and wives who had breast cancer the same year going through treatment at the same time in the same hospital.

After our short 7 1/2 hour trip I could see that the conversation was incredibly beneficial to the both of us. This trip was spent talking about a variety of life events and how we feel going through them. It got deep on many occasions and when the trip was over and we were heading to our hotel rooms we both kind of laughed. My engineer commented that after a trip like that, what was left to talk about now. I told him that I was sure there would be far more we will be able to discuss on the return trip home.

Rom 15:1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.

Sharing good conversation in the right environment with someone you can trust can be quite healing. I could tell from our conversation last night that my engineer just needed to talk and he was able to share all kinds of personal struggles that have obviously been a burden on him for some time. God gives us opportunities to be available to others and it is our responsibility to discern when those times arise. Not only was I blessed by the opportunity to listen to a fellow worker share some of his burdens, but I was able to share a little bit about how God has helped me in my walk through my own struggles.

Look for open doors and listen to those around you who might be dealing with a load that they can't carry alone. And if you are burdened beyond what you can carry then I encourage you to look to Christ to lighten your load. Bearing one another's burdens is great when there is someone to share with. But from time to time when there is no one around but you and God, He wants to hear your struggles too. The only reason I was able to encourage and help my fellow worker bear his burdens was because I know that mine are being carried by a God who can handle all of my needs.

Psa 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Comfort During Times of Loss

Whenever people close to me and my family pass away I inevitably wonder about their eternal situation. Lori had an aunt pass away today and she is filled with mixed emotions. She feels sad for her mother, since her aunt was close to her, but she also feels joy for her aunt because she has proclaimed for many years to know Jesus.

I also wonder sometimes if people can hold on to life for a little while longer until the one's they love are around them. Lori's cousin is a pastor and he rushed to see his mother this afternoon. It was as if she was lying in her bed awaiting his arrival. After a few minutes of them embracing and praying together she took her last breath. As if to say, "It is well now."

I think the most difficult part of death is finding the right words to say to those in mourning, especially when the one who died doesn't proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I learned a long time ago that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

In the second chapter of Job, his news of great suffering spread around until it reached his closest friends. They traveled from afar to see him and to be with him.

Job 2:12-13 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.



They spent seven days and nights and never said a word to him. Friends taking the time to just sit quite and comfort, pray for, and weep with their friend. How many times do we feel the need to toss out a scripture reference or a funny remark to lighten the mood when the spirit inside of us is just saying to be still and say nothing?

The writer of Romans tells us that eternal life is a gift from God given to us freely in Christ Jesus. Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I know that everyone isn't going to receive this free gift and it boggles my mind. Eternal life for me is the hope that keeps me going each day when the wheels eventually fall off the cart. Spending eternity with a loving, caring, magnificent God is the most awesome gift we could ever receive.

Therefore, while I am here on earth, I can give a little bit of Jesus to those around me when they are going through times of loss and grief. I have Him inside of me so I can comfort those with His love and compassion.

2Co 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

I encourage you today to turn to Him for your eternal security and human comfort.

Lord, thank you for the example of Job's friends to me. Help me to be a comfort to other's by allowing your love to flow through me in times of need. You have provided me with all of my desires and I praise you today for the gift of eternal life. Thank you Lord for allowing me to know you.