Lately there have been several instances where I have been faced with the question Why?? These instances have not been me asking the question but risen by others. Why did this happen to my family? Why would a God that loves us let my family member get sick or die? Why did their marriage make it but mine ended in divorce? Why are my finances in shambles but that family isn't struggling? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?
Well to be honest no one can really give you an answer to these questions besides God. Maybe you haven't been a good steward of your finances and that is why you are in this financial position. Maybe your family member didn't take care of their temple correctly and sickness was inevitable. Or maybe there just isn't an answer on earth for your question. But there is one thing I know about your issue that is causing you to ask these questions, God did not cause it. So many people get off course when something goes wrong in their lives and they want to assume that God caused a bad situation to occur for some very odd reason. "God must have given me cancer to build my faith." "God must be allowing us to struggle financially because He wants to teach us to be humble." Pick a reason why God would allow something in your life and insert it here or one of the reasons someone has told you why God allows bad things to happen. The bottom line is all those reasons are CRAP... CRAP, T-total Crap.
There is only one instance in the Bible that I can recall where God allowed stuff to happen to a person & that was Job. But in that instance the devil had to receive permission in order for it to occur. There is also the instance where Jesus tells Peter that the devil has requested to sift him as wheat but it does not say that Jesus allowed it. It says that Jesus prayed for him that his faith would not fail. So ask yourself this question "Am I blaming God for my unpleasant circumstance? Or am I assuming God put this on me to teach me a lesson?" If you find yourself answering yes to these questions then talk a little journey with me.
What does the Bible tell us about God? It tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." It also tells us in John 3:16 "That God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." There is example after example of God showing us His love for us but not only are there examples of His love but His provision, grace, healing, forgiveness, etc. When I sit down and really look at the character of God I do not feel like God put something on me or allowed something to happen for a reason. That is not God's character based on what His word tells me... He would not have sent His son just to turn around and put crap on us.
Let's look at some of the different names of God. He is Yahweh (The Lord), El Shaddai (The Almighty God), Jehovah Jireh (The Lord will Provide), Jehovah Repheka (The Lord is Healer), Jehovah Tsidqenu (The Lord is Our Righteousness), Jehovah Nissi (The Lord is Conqueror), Jehovah Salom (The Lord is Peace), Jehovah Shamah (The Lord is There)... these are just a few. He is Healer, Deliverer, Savior, Friend, Teacher, Lover, Redeemer, Provider, Hope, Peace, Rest. Now ask yourself if God put that on you? We live in a world full of sin, the devils playground. The Bible makes it clear who puts these things on us, in John 10:10 Jesus tells us "The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." So there it is guys laid out for you in the Red Letters... the thief, which is Satan, has come to steal your peace, your money, your health. He has come to destroy your family, your marriage, your future. He has come to kill your dreams, your bodies, your hope and anything else that he can kill.
Jesus told us in John 16:33 "...In this world you will have trials, tribulation; but take heart, be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." And that is exactly what he did when he took the cross... He overcame the world and all of its worries, fears, and shortcomings. He overcame our pain, our sickness, our poverty... He overcame it all. The Bible also tells us that He will take what the devil intended for evil and turn it for our good. So the next time you want to say that God is using this to teach you some thing or to build your faith go back to the word and remind yourself who He is, review His attributes. Your faith may grow from whatever it is that you are going through but that is how God took what the devil meant for your destruction and turned it for your good.
With Love,
Helena
Sumrall
