All in the Book
I believe in the Bible and I accept everything in it as Truth. I however sometimes struggle with the depth of certain scriptures. My big one is Rm: 8:28 which says
“.. and we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God and to them who are called according to his purpose”.
It’s almost surreal to accept that all things work together for good to them that love God! Does the Bible really mean “all things”, as in ALLLLLL….. THINGS? What good can there be when you lose your job? What good can there ever be when your marriage breaks up? How can we see good when a loved one is terminally ill or when we lose a spouse? What about the couple who have been waiting for a child for years? These are devastating experiences which in some cases have pushed people over the edge.
It reminds me of my friend in Australia who was in a situation that I considered almost unfathomable. I just don’t know how she was able to cope. A tall beautiful lady, who got married to her 6’3’’ sweetheart. He had a budding career in IT and they were both doing so well financially. Several years down the line and with three children, he got ill with a debilitating disease. My friend was left as the sole provider and as his sole carer. In the midst of this, she lost her well paid job and their house went into foreclosure. As if things couldn’t get any worse, his eye sight gradually deteriorated and so did his mobility. He was eventually confined to a wheelchair. Please, am I missing something? What good can there be in this situation. I always wondered how he felt as a man with an ego, as a husband and as a father? Did he ever resent God? Was he angry with life?
There are some situations that only the grace of God can see a man through. It is like the story of Job in the Bible who lost everything he ever owned, his children, his wealth and eventually his health. In those trying times, he chose to still love God. It is true that a man’s life does not consist of the things he owns but rather on the substance of who he is. I am so glad my friend and her family found the essence of their life. It was firmly rooted in their faith in the Lord Jesus. Through it all, they learnt what love truly meant. They learnt to appreciate each other and the things they had sometimes taken for granted. They learnt to rely on God fully and that so many other things did not really matter. They learnt sacrifice and they built enduring “muscle”.
The truth is, life will always happen. A lot of times we don’t get any advance warning about what the future might hold for us. It just suddenly drops in our laps. We can’t tell when a spouse will pack up and leave. We can’t predict when an illness will take a turn for the worse. Sometimes the pressure could get so bad that we feel we can’t take it anymore. The secret is taking it a day at a time. We must receive grace for each day, one day at a time. If we think ahead too much, we might lose hope entirely. There is hope in knowing God in a personal way. I have however realised that not everybody has had that experience yet.
I remember listening to a video clip on YouTube where a certain British comedian/actor affirmed that he didn’t believe in God. He was then asked a hypothetical question,
“what if you died and walked through the pearly gates and met God. What would be your first words to him, her or it?”
His response was epic.
“bone cancer in children? what’s that all about. How dare you? How dare you create a world in which there is so much misery that is not our fault! It is not right………….
Why should I respect a capricious, mean minded, stupid God who creates a world which is so full of injustice and pain”.
I was shocked to my core when I heard him. I guess because of my utter belief and trust in God, I wasn’t used to hearing such strong contrary opinions. I became extremely worried for people like him who didn’t believe in God. I mourn for them because they are missing out on so much, on the only One that could truly ever love them unconditionally; our Source of joy, peace and hope.
Trials and tribulations will always be a part of our lives. It is a travesty to choose to blame God when things go wrong. He is a good God, with good thoughts and intentions towards his creation. It is not in His nature to sit and plan evil towards anyone. Let’s not forget that there’s another silent being who is altogether evil and seeks to destroy all that is good. His name is the devil and he is as real as they come. He is however not our focus for this discussion.
God is not the author of evil. He offers life and security to as many as will accept it. The problem is that most people reject Him without really knowing Him. I always challenge my atheist and agnostic friends to try Him first before knocking Him off. Ask Him to prove Himself if he is indeed real. I have no fears that He can defend Himself, that’s why He is God!
Although it’s never pleasant going through a difficult season, I have come to see that good can come out of it. For Christians, they have been called into a life of faith and trust in God. The Bible says in Psalm 30:5b
“… weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning”
It also says in Eccl 3:1 & 4
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. ….. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance”
Seasons will always come and go. No matter how long the night lasts, the morning must surely come. It simply means that “trouble” is only but for a season. It must come to an end one day. God is aware of whatever you might be going through. He knows about it and He allowed it to touch you for a reason. Remember, your life is hidden in Christ and in God. Nothing can touch you except what He has deemed fit. We might not have all the answers nor understand all the “whys” but believe me, God has got it covered. It might not feel like it but He has also prepared you to face this situation. Daily, He gives grace and strength to carry on. Just enough grace and strength for the day. Even in the darkest of moments, we can experience His joy unspeakable. This joy is not founded on tangible things, not on our possessions or treasures. It is founded on the intimate moments we share with Him, loving only Him. Charles Hudson says that may the pressures we face only serve to push us more intimately into his bosom (my paraphrase).
Have you ever noticed how quickly we run to God when the house is on fire; when things are falling apart? Like any normal parent, He loves it when we come to Him. Unfortunately, sometimes the only times He sees us is when the house is actually on fire. It shouldn’t be that way. Can you imagine His joy when a broken man becomes totally helpless and reliant on Him.
I remember some of the biographies I read while growing up. One of them was the story of Amy Carmichael. She was a missionary to India who got ill and went through so much. Her daily life was in constant pain but she learnt to live in fellowship with her maker. She carried such a presence, even on her sick bed.
It amazes me further when I see a scripture like James 1: 2-3 which says
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy, for you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow… and you will be perfect and complete needing nothing”
Great joy?? I don’t think “great joy” is the normal first reaction when things are falling apart. I have never seen a man jumping for joy because he lost his job or because his child passed away. We must allow our trials to shape us into better people. Sometimes trials show us the kind of people we are. It can show us how short tempered and irritable we can be. Trials can also teach us endurance and can test our commitment to the things we believe. Would we rather endure hardship than compromise? Would we be prepared to be the laughing stock in the office because we still believe purity must be upheld in a relationship?
In conclusion, we might never really understand why “bad” things happen to good people. My advice would be for us to trust and believe that God has got our backs. One thing I know is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. In the darkest of hours, He would be there holding our hands and giving us hope. What is the worst thing that can happen to a man? Probably death? For the born again Christian, even in death we would still be winners. We know of a certainty where we would be going because nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Jesus is still the only way.
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