Trying to Understand Life

I have been thinking recently about several different people and families that seem to be facing those trials of life that seem to define who we are and what we will be or become. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I think that it is time that I read the book Why Bad Things Happen to Good People. As mortel beings we struggle sometimes to understand the perfect will of God. Why do I face the trials that I have to face? Why must I suffer or out of the millions of people why does this have to happen to? The past few weeks I have been spending some time in prayer and alot of time in thought about some of these dear people to me that seems to be suffering for some unknown reason. I have been searching God and trying to understand and this is what I feel that He has shown to me.

1) Sometimes we face these problem because God is trying to get our attention. At first thought one can easily get angry to think that God must be some mean God if He can't think of some kinder way of getting my attention than to make me go through what I am going through. One would agree that surely there must be some kinder/gentler way but my question to you is "has God been trying some other way to get your attention that has no worked". Has God tried in kind and gentle ways to get your attention but due to the hurried and busy way of life we have not heard the voice of God speaking to us. Have we filled our lifes with so many things and so many activities that the only way that God can get our attention is to bring us to our knees. I am afraid that we to often have blamed God when the fault for our demise and troubles lay at our own front door. I know that this is extremely difficult to hear and to even swallow when the pain is real and the tears are flowing and you just want to know why. Why me, Oh God, Why me??? The very answer might just be in your own question......it's me.

2) Sometimes there are leasons that God needs to teach us to prepare us for something that is much greater that we will face. I am reminded of the song where the verse goes something like this "There's been times when I question oh Lord why is this..I would rather be living on mountain top bliss, but looking back I see leasons that I might have missed if the Lord had not lead me this way." I have found in life that in every difficut leason or trial of life it has only prepared me for something else that I would have to face. Those difficult times and trials that seemed so hard to understand seemed to be so much clearer once I went a few more miles down life's road. Perhaps those pain and tears are to prepare you for something much greater or maybe to help someone else out that will need your help and/or empathy. How else will you be able to help someone else if you yourself have not walked through the valley of the shadow of death.

3) Believe it or not but maybe God is trying to show you the depth of His Love for you personally. I know that that sounds funny and hard to fathom and perhaps it sounds like an oxymoron...Hurt/Love, Pain/Love, Suffering/Love. But when we think of the cross and the pain He experienced we see the love of God. When we think of the crown of thorns and the pain and hurt he endured we see Love. In the midst of being rejected and forsaken by his own disciples and the suffering from the pain of that rejection we see Love. It was from an old rugged cross filled with pain, suffering and hurt that He did not deserve that we experience first hand His Love. Why than is it so hard for us to comprehend that in the midst of our pain and in the midst of our suffering that God is trying to show us the greatness of His Love.

4) Another reason that we face the perplexities of life is because we live in a fallen world. I have heard our own pastor make this point and I do agree that many of our problems are a direct result to sin. Perhaps it is not our sin but due to the sin of others that sometimes we suffer. A drunken driver kills an innocent family coming home from church. Did the family sin? No!! But due to the fact that we live in a world with sin we to suffer from the results of a fallen and sin filled world. This is one of the challenging reason that we face. It is easy to become cynical and make such rash statements as "If God really cared about me He would have never let this happen" or "Is there really a God". We must be careful and realize that God is not to blame for the fallen nature of man and the results of sin. We must always keep in mind that God is Love and that He alone is able to heal our broken hearts and mend our wounds. He alone is the Great Physician who can take the balm of Heaven and turn our sorrows into joy.

5) The final reason is one that is the most difficult to understand and to comprehend. You see there will be times and situations that that we may never find the answers to our questions. The "why's" will never be answered and the mysteries of life will never be solved. As humans we struggle with this and as christians we often times stumble on this very reason. For some untold reason we feel that we deseve the answers to all of life's questions, but are there answers that we would understand. Believe it or not I think that at times God is doing us a favor by not letting us understand all the twists and turns that life deals to us. Often times as a parent I am asked questions by my child that I know the answer but as a parent I do not feel that he is not prepared to know or understand the answer to his question. I will tell him that now is not the time and he must wait. My child has a choice to either demand an answer that he will not receive or he can accept the fact that out of love and concern for him I will not tell him the answer to his questions at this time. Does it change the fact how he responds? No!! He will not know till I am feel that he is ready to know the answers to his questions. How much more and with greater love and perfect wisdom does God look out for us and only out of love and our best interest lets us know the anwer to our questions when He feels we are ready.

Why does bad things happen to good people...I really don't know. The one thing that I do know is that what ever I am facing or whatever happens God has promisd that He would be there and He has promised to furnish the grace that is needed. I am also reminded of the scripture that states "Be still and know that I am God." My prayers are with many of you as you face the trials of life. I pray that the God of peace will fill you with His Love, Joy and Peace.