A wrote that his life was falling apart. She had lost her job, was losing her home, and had developed a life-threatening illness. She asked why God was doing these things to her. Below is my answer. Happily, she has since recovered from all these circumstances:
Whenever someone expresses a cry of pain like the one in your letter, it causes me some frustration because they wanted to say something more substantial than a spiritualized version of cheer up. Quoting verses is always a good idea, but even that frustrates me.
The reason is because I finally realized that the only solution to help someone in pain is to take the pain away. If I can’t do that, then what am I supposed to do, as a minister?
saying Oh it’s natural. Of course, do not remove the bread. Asking because, God?is another way of saying Oh. I’m not exactly sure when it’s okay to ask that question and when it’s not. Theologians discuss and disagree, especially when they are not the ones who suffer.
Pain also does not help the brain’s reasoning faculty. It causes mental confusion. When hot grease hits my hand, I stop being analytical and start looking for the most immediate solution, even if it’s not a good one.
Unfortunately, you expressed the pain in the form of questions directed at me. That puts the ball in my court as a minister, and I’m supposed to respond.
Alright, I’ll give you an answer. It won’t take away the pain any more than the comments from your well-meaning friends you mentioned. You might even add something to it. I hope not! However, it’s the only answer you’re likely to get.
The answer to why this series of events is happening is the same reason why anything else, good, bad, or indifferent, is happening or will happen. It happens for the glory of God.
There is no other reason why something happens.
Because of him, through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Novels 11:36
The immediate question is, How does Steve’s anguish glorify God? I have no idea. But that’s exactly what the Word says it does.
If that is not true, then nothing in the gospel is true.
Now this statement is comforting and ominous at the same time.
- Comforting, in the sense that at least we know that pain has a purpose.
- Ominous, in telling us something outside of ourselves is more important than our pain, so bread is a perfectly valid price to pay.
To put the icing on the cake, we are told that God is not being cruel, callous, or self-centered. To put the icing on the cake, we learn that it will eventually be shown that experiencing pain is infinitely better than not experiencing it.
You asked if this was a punishment for some sin. That is possible but not likely. If it were, you’d already know what it is. As one minister said, God is not a child molester.
I know that in the midst of your pain it is probably inappropriate for me to try to correct your theology. It can even sound insensitive, like someone reproached me for screaming when hot grease hit my hand. That makes me want to hand out a knuckle sandwich and transfer some of the bread to the berateful.
Jesus met a blind man. The disciples asked, Was it because of this man’s sin or because of his parents’ sin that he was born blind? Jesus said, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God would be manifested in his life.. John 9:3
It wasn’t that the man or his parents were No sinners They were. Jesus was saying that events in people’s lives may not necessarily be connected to their moral state. They may be, but then again, they may not. If we really lived in a perfect world of reward and punishment, the word funny it would not make sense.
Human nature can easily assume that if we are good enough, this will build us a shelter against the bad things that happen. Big mistake. Totally deed-justice. That is not Christianity.
I am trying to gently get to a point that I hope will not cause you further distress. You said, I have done what Jesus said to do. I love, I help, I give.
Oh no, you haven’t. Jesus said, Be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. You are perfect? Isn’t this something that Jesus said to do? He also clarified that when we have done everything that is asked of us, although were perfect, let’s say, we are useless servants. We’ve only done what we were supposed to do. This means that we do not deserve any reward at all. Why should I be rewarded for doing a duty?
If God rewards us, it is truly a gift of grace. If God punishes us, it is because he wants to put us in a position to reward us even more.
The good news is that when we accept Jesus, we not only receive the forgiveness of our sins, but we are also clothed with the legal righteousness of Christ. This free gift washes away any performance-based acceptance of God.
Again, I am aware that even this does not relieve the pain. If God wants you to have pain for a while, he will very kindly circumvent all my efforts to relieve it.
Know that you are in our prayers.
Love in Christ, Roger.