Life can be exquisitely beautiful. Or our lives can be incredibly painful.
When we’ve been hurt, trusting that God is good can be extremely difficult. Where was He when the bad things or acts happened?
No one is immune to the destruction and evil this world can bring. Believers and non-believers experience hardships and tragedies. Some experience pure evilness. Yet, when we read about creation in Genesis, we see that God saw what He made was good. After He added man and woman, God saw what He created was “very good.”
Even after the fall of creation and sin was conceived in the world through disobedience, God remained faithful to His creation. He did not abandon us or wipe away what He had made.
God already knew what would happen before He created us. Some ask, “Why trust a God who allows such horrendous activities to happen?”
The Bible tells us that God did not create evil. But He does allow it.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 10:10a
This fact has caused some to doubt His existence or fail to trust God. Yet, from the very beginning of creation, He set boundaries for His people.
Adam and Eve chose to disobey.
God gives His creation free will.
Although He sets guidelines for us, He never forces us to follow them. We each choose daily whether to sin or obey God’s commands.
Just as ripples in a pond affect the surrounding water, my sin affects others.
While we feel that some acts of disobedience are more horrendous than others, God sees all sin the same. Consequences of trespasses affect us personally, just as our sin affects people we know and even some we don’t.
The sins we choose (or turn away from) today affects future generations. It touches the way we act and react to those we love, molding relationships.
2 Thessalonians 2:7 warns us, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”
God allows us free choice, yet He still enables the Holy Spirit to restrain the full force of the evil that exists in this world.
Satan and evil are real. From the time sin entered the world, mankind and nature have felt the brutal effects of our disobedience.
Yet, God still loves us. He never wanted this choice for us.
In fact, He even made a way for us to be relieved from sin through Jesus.
Even His son was not immune to the evil in this world. Jesus warned us of what to beware of.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
When we have been deeply hurt by sin, especially in an act committed by another, our natural inclination can be to curl into ourselves. Or to lash out at others.
Sometimes we get angry at God or turn away from Him for not stopping the event.
While these can be considered natural reactions to the pain and suffering, none of the responses help us or resolve the deep emotional, physical, or mental wounds we endured or now carry.
Only God can heal.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
God keeps His promises. We cannot comprehend His ways, or what He allows.
Faith is complete confidence or a strong belief, not total understanding.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19
God never wanted sin to enter our world, but He knew it would. He uses it, without controlling our free will, to draw us nearer to Him, when we allow Him access to our pain through faith, trust, and hope in Him.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
He also allows and equips us to minister to others through our experiences.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
God’s promises are certain.
Yet, He wants His people to believe and claim His promises.
He desires to be the Lord of our lives. But He waits for us to invite Him to be the center of everything we are and do.
Call upon Him, so He can respond. Allow Him to create beauty where there were ashes, as only He can.
Trust.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
He will heal you.
“I have come that they may have life, and that may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b
Open your heart and let Him.