"Wage War Against Sin...Love Each Other"
We often wonder why bad things happen? Why do people get cancer and kidney disease? Why do children die? Why is there divorce and war and all those terrible things?
This is a question that plagues many of us as we try to make sense of the world around us - as we seek truth and hope and purpose for our lives.
Even as Christians, we sometimes find ourselves asking these same questions as we are not immune to pain and suffering. We experience sadness, grief and loss just like everyone else.
It's so easy to choose faith and trust God when things are going well. But what do we do when things are hard? or when bad things happen? These are the defining moments of our faith.
The sad truth is that when man experienced "the fall" (Genesis 3), sin came into the world; and when sin came into the world, it created a space for terrible things to happen to good people.
The affect of sin does not discriminate between good people and bad people. We all have brokenness. We are all sinners. And sadly, sometimes even when we do the very best we know how, bad things still happen.... We still get hurt and we still hurt others. People still get sick. Relationships and marriages still fall apart. Children still die. And so on.
I've had experiences in my life where I've felt great amounts of hurt and pain inflicted by people who chose sin. Don't get me wrong, these times were hard. But truthfully, the really hard times have been when I've been hurt by faithful people who love God as much as I do, or when I've hurt people even when my heart for them was filled with nothing but love. In these times, I find myself frustrated and confused, not with the people themselves, but with sin as I try to gain some understanding of "why?".
I'll be the first to admit that this is a hard place to operate...at least it is for me. This is where my somewhat isolated life leaves me naïve to the ways of the world. I just don't understand it. Life seems like it should be so much simpler to me and it's not, and that's incredibly frustrating for me. See, I want to believe that if I love everyone with all of my heart, that I will not be abandoned, rejected, or betrayed. I want to believe that if I never give up, I will succeed. I want to believe that if I am honest, I will be trusted and others will reciprocate with honesty. I want to believe that if I fight disease unceasingly that I will be victorious against it. I want to believe that if I walk in the truth and in God's will for my life, things will work out as I hope and reconciliation and redemption will take place. Unfortunately, none of this is true. All of these things are uncertain.
So then where's the hope?
There are days when this is much clearer than others. But at the end of the day, every day, the reality is that there is only one thing for certain. Christ. There is one person who is unfailing. Christ. There is one person who is constant and who remains the same as He was yesterday and will be forever. Christ. So, that's where the hope is and this is where we find rest, even in these hard times.
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him" (Psalm 62:5)
So in seasons such as this when I feel lost in "the plan" and find myself asking "why?", I get righteously angry with sin - sin that destroys good things, sin that tries to distort the truth, sin that tries to plant seeds of doubt and fear in us so that we keep up every wall that prevents us from truly being vulnerable and connecting deeply with those who love us, and those who we love back, sin that acts like a filtering lens causing us to see the world through our own brokenness and fear, robbing us of the goodness that's available right in front of our eyes...
Yes...in seasons such as this, I choose to live a life that doesn't make sense to the world. I choose to still love with everything I have, even if I am abandoned, rejected, or betrayed. In fact, I will love those who abandon, reject, or betray me more fiercely than ever with the overflow of the love that I, a sinner also, receives from Christ who also loved those who betrayed Him. I choose to not give up, even if I don't succeed because I know that God's ways are higher than mine and if I fail trying my best, then God simply has another path for me that is better than any goal I could ever create for myself anyways. I choose to be honest and tell the truth, even when it's hard, and even when the truth hurts, and even if others don't believe the truth. I choose to fight disease unceasingly, not for my own victory but so Christ's strength can be revealed through me. And I choose to walk in the truth no matter what happens in this life because I know that one day, there will be a new heaven and new earth where death no longer exists, and tears no longer fall.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelations 21:1-3)
My hope is that we can all remember that we are all sinners saved by God's grace. Fight the sin. Be angry with sin. Wage war against sin. Love each other.
This is a question that plagues many of us as we try to make sense of the world around us - as we seek truth and hope and purpose for our lives.
Even as Christians, we sometimes find ourselves asking these same questions as we are not immune to pain and suffering. We experience sadness, grief and loss just like everyone else.
It's so easy to choose faith and trust God when things are going well. But what do we do when things are hard? or when bad things happen? These are the defining moments of our faith.
The sad truth is that when man experienced "the fall" (Genesis 3), sin came into the world; and when sin came into the world, it created a space for terrible things to happen to good people.
The affect of sin does not discriminate between good people and bad people. We all have brokenness. We are all sinners. And sadly, sometimes even when we do the very best we know how, bad things still happen.... We still get hurt and we still hurt others. People still get sick. Relationships and marriages still fall apart. Children still die. And so on.
I've had experiences in my life where I've felt great amounts of hurt and pain inflicted by people who chose sin. Don't get me wrong, these times were hard. But truthfully, the really hard times have been when I've been hurt by faithful people who love God as much as I do, or when I've hurt people even when my heart for them was filled with nothing but love. In these times, I find myself frustrated and confused, not with the people themselves, but with sin as I try to gain some understanding of "why?".
I'll be the first to admit that this is a hard place to operate...at least it is for me. This is where my somewhat isolated life leaves me naïve to the ways of the world. I just don't understand it. Life seems like it should be so much simpler to me and it's not, and that's incredibly frustrating for me. See, I want to believe that if I love everyone with all of my heart, that I will not be abandoned, rejected, or betrayed. I want to believe that if I never give up, I will succeed. I want to believe that if I am honest, I will be trusted and others will reciprocate with honesty. I want to believe that if I fight disease unceasingly that I will be victorious against it. I want to believe that if I walk in the truth and in God's will for my life, things will work out as I hope and reconciliation and redemption will take place. Unfortunately, none of this is true. All of these things are uncertain.
So then where's the hope?
There are days when this is much clearer than others. But at the end of the day, every day, the reality is that there is only one thing for certain. Christ. There is one person who is unfailing. Christ. There is one person who is constant and who remains the same as He was yesterday and will be forever. Christ. So, that's where the hope is and this is where we find rest, even in these hard times.
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him" (Psalm 62:5)
So in seasons such as this when I feel lost in "the plan" and find myself asking "why?", I get righteously angry with sin - sin that destroys good things, sin that tries to distort the truth, sin that tries to plant seeds of doubt and fear in us so that we keep up every wall that prevents us from truly being vulnerable and connecting deeply with those who love us, and those who we love back, sin that acts like a filtering lens causing us to see the world through our own brokenness and fear, robbing us of the goodness that's available right in front of our eyes...
Yes...in seasons such as this, I choose to live a life that doesn't make sense to the world. I choose to still love with everything I have, even if I am abandoned, rejected, or betrayed. In fact, I will love those who abandon, reject, or betray me more fiercely than ever with the overflow of the love that I, a sinner also, receives from Christ who also loved those who betrayed Him. I choose to not give up, even if I don't succeed because I know that God's ways are higher than mine and if I fail trying my best, then God simply has another path for me that is better than any goal I could ever create for myself anyways. I choose to be honest and tell the truth, even when it's hard, and even when the truth hurts, and even if others don't believe the truth. I choose to fight disease unceasingly, not for my own victory but so Christ's strength can be revealed through me. And I choose to walk in the truth no matter what happens in this life because I know that one day, there will be a new heaven and new earth where death no longer exists, and tears no longer fall.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelations 21:1-3)
My hope is that we can all remember that we are all sinners saved by God's grace. Fight the sin. Be angry with sin. Wage war against sin. Love each other.
Thoughtful and provoking. I'm supposed to be getting this message, Bill just spoke on this very question of bad things and good people, our faith and hope when he was asked to lead Wednesday night last week. That everlasting hope, the way God truly does desire to fulfill that inate sense of faireness in us by giving us the knowledge that ultimately all will be well. That He alone will make all things right.
ReplyDeleteLove reading your thoughts my friend.
salli
Thank you for sharing Salli. I love how God works and how He reveals Himself to us all the time...
DeleteWhat a blessing to read your very well written blog. It's refreshing & encouraging to read. I have lived a similar life to yours full of heartache, betrayal & troubles, as most people have. But by God's unfailing grace & mercy, He & He alone gives us insight to see beyond sin and to understand the root of it, who is all our enemy, Satan. This life is a battle for our souls between God & Satan. God has given each & every one of us free will to serve Him or not to serve Him & didn't make us puppets who automatically love Him. He gave us His all when He willingly sacrificed His only son to die for each of us & our sins. As you are doing, it is so important to study His written word & to learn a better way of living than just for ones self. You are a shining witness for Jesus. I encourage you to continue to live as you are, searching His word & His face, serving Him with all your strength & love for Him and all others. It's not an easy life, but it is the best!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing a piece of your heart in the words you just wrote and for the encouragement you've given me to continue walking the sometimes hard and lonely road that lies ahead when we choose the narrow path...it's not always easy, but I wouldn't change anything :)
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