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Dealing With Difficult Trials - Part 2
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smiller, Founder, Legacy Youth Ministry Resources
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Note from Delve Christian Ministries: This series was authored by Steve Miller of Legacy Youth Ministry Resources, and was originally written as a lecture series for youth pastors. We are extremely grateful to Steve for allowing us to offer this series on Delve Into Jesus
Introduction
In the last article, we saw that God is not an almighty party pooper in the sky who continually looks around for someone having a good time so that He can say, "Cut that out and get back to work." Its Jesus Himself who said, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (Jn. 10:10) But for the deep thinkers among us, this presents a big problem. Some of you, when you are alone in your room late at night, think things like this:
If God loves me, then why does He let such awful things happen to me? Why did my parents divorce and my friend die? Why is my dating life nonexistent? Is God judging me for something I did wrong? And by the way, if Gods so big and powerful, then why would he allow all this misery in His world?
Now let me warn you: these are heavy questions. And for this article and the next, I'm challenging you to think. You see, some skeptics think that Christians have two brains: one is lost and the other is out looking for it. But God never asked us to hand in our brains when we come to Him. Because of the questions we're asking, some of your classmates either hate God or deny His existence. Over the next couple of articles, we're going to try to get some answers.
Some people don't like God because they see every trial as coming directly from His hand. Maybe their parents are strict, unloving parents who just punish all the time, and thats the way they see God. No wonder they dont like Him! So whatever you do,
B. Don't Misjudge the Source Of Your Troubles
1. By Always Blaming Yourself (Jn. 9:1-5)
When baseball pitcher Dave Dravecky came down with cancer, he received all kinds of advice from people, much of it contradicting each other. One person told him that he needed to repent of his sin. Another assured him he simply lacked faith.
Look at Jn. 9:1-5.
"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus.
Jesus' disciples viewed suffering much like Daves advisors. They saw a man born blind and assumed he was blind because of his own sins or his parent's sins. But Jesus said that in this case it was neither. It wasnt this guy's fault that he was born blind. And apparently, it wasnt his lack of faith that kept him from being healed sooner in life.
Often, when tragedies strike, people ask, "What did I do to deserve that?" We asked that question under "B", but often you may come up with a blank. You see, not all suffering comes because of personal sin. If it did, then tell me why so many godly people have suffered so intensely. (Think: Jesus 1 Peter 2:18-24, Paul 1 Cor. 4:7-13; 1 Cor 11:23-28, and so many Old Testament heroes Heb. 11)
If you are suffering, but you're a believer and God's not revealing any rebellion in your life as the cause, you're in good company! Don't punish yourself with the "What did I do to deserve this?" question any more.
Some people turn from God when they can't reconcile His goodness with our suffering. "If God is so good," they ask, "then why does He make the innocent suffer?"
A good first step to answer this question is to change the "make" to "allow." You see, God doesnt present himself as the direct cause of all suffering. Give me some ideas. Who else can be responsible for suffering?
Sometimes Satan is responsible
"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Pet. 5:8, cr. Jn. 8:44, 2 Tim. 2:26, 1 Thes. 2:18)
According to the Bible, the world lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn. 5:19). Satan is called the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), so much of the mess we see around us reflects his character, not the character of the Creator. Sometimes People are to blame
"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." (Jms. 1:13-14)
Temptation is a trial, but God is not the author of it. Where does this verse place the blame for temptation? (Our own evil desires)
God tells people to love their spouses and their children, indicating His perfect will, but they often rebel and do the opposite. So although some people try to thank God for every event that comes into their lives, it would seem inappropriate to thank God for the abuse of a wife by a drunken husband, when we know the drunkenness was not God's perfect will.
When the Bible says that every good and perfect gift comes from God (Jms 1:16-17), the implication is that not everything that comes our way is good and perfect. So dont be deceived into thinking that God sends everything that comes our way. But although the direct cause is often evil, we can thank God that He allowed it for some good reason.
"But thats just the problem!" some object. "Since God could have stopped the suffering, isnt He ultimately responsible?" To make this problem more personal, lets reflect on a skit.
Setting: Annie and Phil are hanging out after school, waiting for the bus.
Phil: Hey Annie, long time no see.
Annie: Yea, how have you been doing Phil?
Phil: Ok, but we sure miss you at youth group. Why haven't you been coming around lately?
Annie: I've made a lot of flimsy excuses to people, but we've always been pretty open with each other, right Phil?
Phil: Sure.
Annie: So heres the real problem. About a year ago my mom came home from a doctors appointment, and I could tell she was all torn up. For the first few weeks, she wouldn't level with me, but finally she told me that she had a terminal case of cancer. At first I totally lost it, but soon I turned to God. But no matter how much I prayed, the cancer kept winning the battle. As you know, she passed away three months ago. For a few weeks, I kept attending the youth group, but my heart just wasn't in it. I know it sounds awful, but every time we sang a praise song, I thought, "If God really loved me, then why would he take my mom?" Just think about it: Hugh Hefner publishes Playboy Magazine, makes millions, and lives rich and well into his 70's, continuing his promotion of sexual immorality. But my mom was a decent person who gave her life to God and her family. Why did He have to take her? I just cant believe that a God of love would give my mom cancer."
Here are four truths, which, if you can grasp them, will protect you from spiritually tubing out when tragedy strikes:
a. God is Good
Some of you think, "Yea, yea, I've heard it all my life. Jesus loves me, this I know." But if youve never thought deeply enough about this truth to securely anchor yourself, you just might end up drifting away like Annie. Here are some things that convince me God is good, even when my world is falling apart:
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We have plenty of evidence that says Jesus Christ was more than just a good man. He was God dressed in flesh. So if we want to know what God is like, we need to think about Jesus. And when we think about Jesus, what hits us in the face is His love. Think about it. As God, He could have really thrown his weight around on earth, slapping around the Pharisees, turning the officials who condemned Him into donkeys, and tossing around hulking Roman guards with His all-mighty pinky.
Instead, we find Him abandoning His glory in heaven to hold children, comfort the fearful, wash his disciples stinky feet, stand up for the truth, forgive His enemies, heal the sick, and side with the poor. And He offered people a path to heaven, a place free from the pain and misery of this earthly life. Then He proved for all time that He loved us by allowing Himself to be tortured to death on the cross, taking upon himself the punishment we deserved, so that we could live with Him forever in heaven. (1 Jn. 4:8-16)
Now listen carefully, the way we know that God is good is not by our circumstances here on earth. If that's the way we determine God's love, then the apostle Paul would have never believed that God loved him. He was beaten times without number, jailed, stoned, and ridiculed. But the same guy who experienced all these hard times wrote that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8). He didn't look to his circumstances to find God's love. He looked to the cross. Because an evil God/man would have never written into his scheduler: "At 33 years old, have yourself crucified for the sake of all those undeserving people."
So whenever you're ever tempted to doubt God's love, take a closer look at Jesus.
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2) Look at the lives He has changed
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."(1 Jn. 4:7-10).
Christians aren't perfect. But as people follow God, we see bad people turn good and good people get better. People like Mother Theresa attribute their selfless lifestyle, not to their own natural goodness, but to God's work in their lives. Again, this doesn't seem like the business an evil God would be up to.
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3) Look at His commitment to truth
"I am the way and the truth and the life." (Jn. 14:6; cr. Jn. 1:14; John 19:37-38).
God claims to be just, loving, and worthy of our praise. If He is not, then He is a liar. But all I learn of God through Jesus tells me He is not a liar. He never flinched on the truth, and stood against public opinion, even when He knew it would cost Him his life. So if God says He is love, I have good reason to trust Him.
So God has given Annie and all of us a massive amount of evidence to show that He loves us. If Annie rejects God's love because of "the problem of suffering," she now has "the problem of good" to deal with: If God doesnt love me, then why did He send His Son to die for me?"
Conclusion
So what do you think? Is God for you, or against you? Is Jesus on the side of love, or simply a deceiver? These are probably the most important questions you could ever answer. I've given you a lot to think about in this article. And don't be surprised if it takes some days and weeks to think through what we're discussed in light of the troubles you face.
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