Joy...and Pain

Last night my wife and I were watching a rerun of the TV show “Scrubs”. During this episode, a doctor repeatedly challenged the reality of the fact that God existed and that He was in control of all things. He asked that if God was in control…

*Why do good things happen to bad people?
*Why do the good suffer?
*Why do bad things happen to good people?
*Why are there diseases?

He repeatedly challenged a particular nurse who I assume was a Christian. She had a response to every challenge and repeatedly said that all things work together for the good. Just when the Doctor thought that he could not outwit the nurse, a young girl was brought into the hospital. She was about 10 years old and had been stabbed for no reason and was close to death. The doctor got a person to pose as the girl’s dad and brought the “dad” before the nurse and confronted her. At the sight of the girl the Doctor asked,” What good could God have intended with this situation? Was it His will that she get stabbed?….she did no wrong did she? What are you going to tell this girl’s father?” The nurse didn’t have an immediate response. Moments later a technician revealed that the little girl had a tumor the size of a golf ball growing in her chest and if she had not been stabbed, then the deadly tumor would have probably gone unnoticed until it was too late. The fact that she got attacked actually saved her life.

I was floored. How often do we doubt that God is in control, has a firm grip on the steering wheel and knows where He is going? In our short-term frame of mind, we focus on our temporary pain and ignore the future glory and eternal glory that is promised to those who are children of God. Sometimes pain is used to bring our attention to something that will ultimately cause death. Don’t ignore the pain that you are going through. Endure the pain and ask God what His plan for you is through the pain. His plans for you are much bigger than your pain. This is not an easy pill to swallow, but it is much easier than running around in circles trying to understand all the “Whys, Who’s, What’s, Where’s, When’s and How’s” that you have concerning what God is doing. God loves us and all does work together for the good of those who love Him and are called for His purpose.

I recently shared the following words with a friend of mine who was questioning God’s choices:

It is important to know that even when we don’t know what it going on, we can take comfort in the fact that we know the One who is ultimately in control. God never makes mistakes and His ways are high above our ways. We must be aware of the lessons He is trying to teach us through every situation both good and “bad” in order to begin to understand Him and life. If we knew everything and knew every answer there would be no need for faith. God seems to give the most difficult challenges to the strongest among us to serve as a testimony to us who are “weaker” so that when the strong turn to Him in faith, we can be inspired to do the same.

There are scores of people hurting these days, many of which are Christians. I think that it is vitally important that we as Christians “own our pain” and see it as an opportunity to grow closer to Christ and to be a witness to God’s Mercy and Love. We may not understand WHY, but we sure can point the world to the “WHO” WHEN they ask us HOW we made it through and how we have joy through our pain and sorrow.

Our pain is nothing when compared to God’s plan and His love for us.

Be Blessed,
B