For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37
When something bad happens, do we turn our backs on God? This is a tricky one to write about. I'm afraid that there are some who pray over ailing loved ones and may feel lied to by God when their loved one passes. Sometimes it's easier to handle when that person has lived a full life and it's time for them to join their Savior or if the person has been struggling with pain for a long time, so they're no longer suffering.
It's not so easy when it's the death of young ones or the innocent slaughter of those who have done nothing to warrant it. [I'm praying like crazy on this one, because I want Christ's guidance on this.] I do feel that God has timing when He calls each of us. Of course, this timing especially alludes us with young ones. Although this isn't always easy to understand, I try to stay focused on God's loving nature and His infinite wisdom in all things. When Lazarus, Jesus' good friend died, Jesus went to his tomb. Just prior to Jesus' resurrecting Lazarus, it says "Jesus wept" in John 11:35 . Actually, I felt led to this particular verse, because it says so much on this topic that I never really realized before. Jesus didn't weep because He missed His friend who had died four days earlier, since Jesus knew all along that He was supposed to resurrect Lazarus, so others would witness this miracle. Jesus wept, because He saw Mary and the Jews that came with her weeping in John 11:32-34. What this verse tells me that Jesus truly feels our pain and grieves with us when we have losses in our lives!
Some may wonder how a Just and Loving God can allow terrible things and atrocities to happen. Although I struggle with these same questions, at times, I know that evil came into the world with the first sin and is perpetuated by our sinful human nature. I know that God doesn't want us to love Him like marionettes, with someone else pulling all the strings and having no true actions from ourselves. God gives all people choice to choose evil or good and to choose to love Jesus as their Savior or not.
Although there are many people who don't know Jesus as their Savior who do nice things for others, having free choice allows some who don't have an active relationship with Christ to do evil in the world.
Unfortunately, Satan uses losses such as these on a personal, national, and international level to pull people away from their focus on Christ as their Savior. Satan allows some to doubt God and blame Him for these losses. "Cast all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, [establish], strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:7-10
Just know on whatever level you are grieving, it says "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Psalm 34:17-19 Even though Christians may have more than their share of afflictions, Christ will be there with us and get us through them!
What Do Our Actions Say When Jesus Calls Us? Sometimes, the lack of action conveys more than we imagine, but there's still time to make changes! Yeah, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for Thee; the Desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee. Isaiah 26:8
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