WHY SURRENDER TO A GOD WHO LETS BAD THINGS HAPPEN?
The Bible teaches that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28). It also says that we should glory in tribulations (Romans 5:3). So, how does that work when a loved one is murdered? How does a person, who was molested daily for years as a child, glory in that tribulation? When a person is raped, how does that work together for good? Is God sadistic, or what?
It appears to me that there is a lot of anger towards God, for seemingly good reasons. In Christians, this anger is often hidden, stuffed down deep inside. It's just not cool to be angry with God, when you're a Christian. But whenever we stuff things that are troubling us, rather than dealing with them, it's like cancer. Those hidden malignant cells grow and grow until we can no longer function normally. Eventually, it becomes excruciatingly painful.
We don't want to deal with it, because it's painful to talk about it. But the pain of not dealing with it will eventually overwhelm us. So, why not talk about it? Why not be honest about our relationship with God? "Our Father which art in Heaven"(Lk11:2) is big enough to handle being criticized and even yelled at. When we talk things out with God and maybe even with each other, and pray for one another, we come out of isolation. The enemy hates it when that happens because that's when he begins to lose his fiendish grip on us.
- James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." But, who is righteous?!
- 1Jn1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Philippians 3:9 and be found in [Christ], not having a righteousness of my own, ... but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
So, what about a God who lets bad things happen? Why is that? Why doesn't He just zap those murderers, rapists, and pedophiles? Those people are soooo sinful!! What about a God who lets sin happen? Why doesn't He just zap all those sinners? Why doesn't He give them all (including you and me) what they deserve -- death -- right now?!
- Romans 3:12,23 ... There is no one who does good ... For all have sinned...
- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;
Why did Jesus humble Himself to become a human in this sinful world? Why did He risk His eternal life to die to make atonement for your sins(and mine), instead of giving us the eternal death that we deserve? Why did He allow sin to raise its ugly head in the first place? And, why, when death is swallowed up in victory(Hosea13:14;1Cor15:54), will sin NEVER raise its ugly head again?
May I suggest that the answer to all of these questions can be summed up in one word? IMHO, the reason is "LOVE"(agápē). Our Father and His only-born Son, Jesus Christ, love us so much that They value our freedom of choice more than They value the life of Jesus. For our Heavenly Father so loved us that He gave His only-born Son...(John 3:16).
- John 1:18 ... The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
"None but the Son of God could accomplish our redemption; for only He who was in the bosom of the Father could declare Him. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen man could express the Father's love to lost humanity." (Steps to Christ, 14:2)
- Matthew 25:40 ... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these... ye have done it unto me.
According to my understanding, It is freedom of choice that that allows the rapist, murder, and pedophile to do all their evil deeds. It is freedom of choice that has brought all pain and suffering into this world. But, when tribulations come, and God's will is restricted by the evil will of humans and fallen angels, we can be assured that God is suffering right along with us (Mt25:40). We can be assured that God will do everything He can to bring us out of that tribulation. We can be assured that, if we cooperate with Him, He will deliver us from those sins that so easily beset us (Heb12:1). Let us never forget that it is freedom of choice that can bring us out of this world and into Heavenly places. For, He will never leave us nor forsake us(Heb13:5; Jn14:18; Mt28:20). That, my friend, is why I choose to surrender my will to my Loving Heavenly Father who lets bad things happen. My God not only loves, but His character is what defines love. That's my God, the "only true God" and that's my Jesus, our only Lord.
- Jeremiah 10:10 But the Lord(Hebrew: Jehovah) is the only true God. He is the living God ...
- John 17:1,3 ... Jesus looked up to heaven and said, Father... this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created... And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created...
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )
-Sid Nash: 05/05/2024. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/WhySurrender.html