In the Bad times
One of the biggest things people have trouble getting over in Christianity is the idea of bad things happening to people when God says he is a loving God. They can't understand why bad things might happen to seemingly innocent people. It is a tough question to answer and a good question to ask God. But if we take a look at John 9:1-12 we may be able to get some answers to that question.
First things first, when God made the world back with Adam and Eve, he wanted it to be perfect. Free from pain and suffering. Even work was supposed to be enjoyable (See Genesis 1-3). It wasn't until sin entered the world through Adam and Eve that pain and suffering started. So all the "bad stuff" that happens has some relation to sin. In the first century, the Jewish people believed that if anything bad happened it was the fault of sin in that person or their family (another good example of this would be the book of Job). So that brings us to the start of John 9. The disciples have asked Jesus about a man born blind, what the sin cause of that was. And to their astonishment, Jesus answers that it was no specific sin of him or his family.
This type of answer is mind blowing, even by today's standards. We are always looking for the reason something happens. It's why law suits are so big, we need to find some place to put the blame. But Jesus gives an even better reason to them, "so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." This can be a tough thing to hear when we, or others, are going through trials in our lives. But the important part to remember is that God wants to work through those problems so that His work can be displayed in your life. This does not necessarily mean that everyone will be healed or great visible miracles will take place (but they can). This means that God wants to work in you no matter what. It may be physical healing, it may be a supernatural peace or calm, it may even just be the way you handle the problem, or give you the opportunity to help somebody else with a similar problem. But know this: God wants to work with you and through you, especially in your hardest moments.
Look up II Corinthians 12:9-10. Take hope in this.
First things first, when God made the world back with Adam and Eve, he wanted it to be perfect. Free from pain and suffering. Even work was supposed to be enjoyable (See Genesis 1-3). It wasn't until sin entered the world through Adam and Eve that pain and suffering started. So all the "bad stuff" that happens has some relation to sin. In the first century, the Jewish people believed that if anything bad happened it was the fault of sin in that person or their family (another good example of this would be the book of Job). So that brings us to the start of John 9. The disciples have asked Jesus about a man born blind, what the sin cause of that was. And to their astonishment, Jesus answers that it was no specific sin of him or his family.
This type of answer is mind blowing, even by today's standards. We are always looking for the reason something happens. It's why law suits are so big, we need to find some place to put the blame. But Jesus gives an even better reason to them, "so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." This can be a tough thing to hear when we, or others, are going through trials in our lives. But the important part to remember is that God wants to work through those problems so that His work can be displayed in your life. This does not necessarily mean that everyone will be healed or great visible miracles will take place (but they can). This means that God wants to work in you no matter what. It may be physical healing, it may be a supernatural peace or calm, it may even just be the way you handle the problem, or give you the opportunity to help somebody else with a similar problem. But know this: God wants to work with you and through you, especially in your hardest moments.
Look up II Corinthians 12:9-10. Take hope in this.
posted by Ryan at 8:42 AM
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