When I look at the devastation of this world, at the
suffering of others and the pain of my own life, I ask, Where is God?
Does He even notice? Does He even care?
My first step in this journey of seeking answers to these questions began when I realized that earth is not my true home. I am just visiting here. I am just passing through.
God did create a perfect world, and mankind shattered that perfection with our sin. Pain runs rampant, seemingly unchecked. But we don't belong here! We are built for eternity! We are strangers, aliens, foreigners here! Our citizenship is in heaven.
Okay . . . so then why are we still here? Why don't we just head on up to our true home? If God loves us so much, why does He leave us down here groaning with all of creation?
I believe the answers to these questions are uniquely tailored for each one of us. I think the answers may come as we seek to know God more and grow in our relationship with Him.
Welcome to Triumph Over Suffering Blog. I invite you to join me as we together seek answers to the toughest questions. I will be blogging weekly starting the week of January 19, 2014. Let's get to know each other. I would love to hear your questions, thoughts, reactions, and comments. And I welcome you to share your struggles and pains, as well as how God has touched you and spoken to you on your journey to healing.
My first step in this journey of seeking answers to these questions began when I realized that earth is not my true home. I am just visiting here. I am just passing through.
God did create a perfect world, and mankind shattered that perfection with our sin. Pain runs rampant, seemingly unchecked. But we don't belong here! We are built for eternity! We are strangers, aliens, foreigners here! Our citizenship is in heaven.
Okay . . . so then why are we still here? Why don't we just head on up to our true home? If God loves us so much, why does He leave us down here groaning with all of creation?
I believe the answers to these questions are uniquely tailored for each one of us. I think the answers may come as we seek to know God more and grow in our relationship with Him.
Welcome to Triumph Over Suffering Blog. I invite you to join me as we together seek answers to the toughest questions. I will be blogging weekly starting the week of January 19, 2014. Let's get to know each other. I would love to hear your questions, thoughts, reactions, and comments. And I welcome you to share your struggles and pains, as well as how God has touched you and spoken to you on your journey to healing.
The questions you posted have definitely surfaced for me a time or two (or more). What God revealed to me over the years, that which I still grasp on tightly to believing, is that if we lived in a world without pain and suffering, brokenness, and all the struggles we face, there would be no yearning, seeking, and finding answers to everything through the hope of Jesus Christ!
ReplyDeleteSimply put, we would not need Him. I accept that it is through such trials in periods of darkness, where we find the light!
What I still grapple with at times (perhaps, often) is why some of us, me included, have to endure so much hurt for extended periods/seasons of our lives. I know God teaches us a significant amount during these stages (if we let Him). I know He works tremendously in us and those around us to shape our purpose. What I don't know is why it has to hurt so badly and for so long. Of course, I am thankful for the many bright spots and how it molds me; however, there are moments where the dark spots seem to trump the bright ones and nothing seems to be forming within or around me. It is then that I remember I must hold onto Jesus and our Father's promises even tighter.
Cristina, your words and your life are a beacon of hope for us all. Realize, precious child of God, that at the moment, in the midst of your trials, God has not yet revealed all He has planned for you --
ReplyDelete"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him" --
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 1 Cor 2:9-10
Cling to Him, continue to seek Him with all your heart, and through this Triumph Over Suffering class, I believe God will reveal much to you by His Spirit.
Thank you SO much, Celeste! I know God has appointed this time and anointed you to serve as an important teacher for me during the next stage of my growth! I will continue to seek Him!
DeleteSo blessed to walk with you during this season. See you in class tomorrow.
DeleteOswald Chambers says it well
ReplyDelete"Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something of my own choosing. ... To do this we must have close fellowship with Jesus and must know Him as more than our personal Savior. And we must be willing to experience the full
impact of Acts 9:16 -- 'I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.' 'Do you love Me?' Then, 'Feed My sheep' (John 21:17). He is not offering us a choice of how we can serve Him; He is asking for absolute loyalty to His commission, a faithfulness to what we discern when we are in the closest possible fellowship with God."
Listening to Kari Jobe's "What Love is This" playing this morning stopped me in my tracks and brought me back to our class yesterday and the image of Jesus' hand and the murderers driving in the nails..... the song goes on to say " What love is this that you gave your life for me and made a way for me to know you" and "Jesus, in your suffering you are reaching inside of me" WOW powerful. That puts an entire new perspective on our human suffering for me.
ReplyDeleteI am on the cusp of grasping the gift that suffering for His plan and His purpose truly is. Do I need to know why? No, I don't. I need to trust Him that it all happened with His plan and purpose in mind. I have never felt so close to God in this class and yet felt like I had so so very much to learn and still such a long way to go. I'm going to enjoy the journey knowing each day brings me closer to our Savior! That is my prayer for all of us, that our hearts our comforted knowing He paid the highest price and was reaching into our hearts drawing us closer to Him during His suffering and forgiving our sins so we can spend eternity with Him.