I have heard many comments and complaints lately about God. Why does God allow bad things to happen? Am I being punished for some sin that I have committed? The conclusion to these questions from these dear wondering hearts is usually one of the following: He must not care about me or anyone else I love. He can’t stop things from happening. He could stop things from happening but He doesn’t because He likes to watch sadistically from on high. Perhaps He doesn’t exist at all and if He does exist He is not the loving God that we are taught about in Sunday School.
Take a look at Mark 14. Jesus has what is probably the worst 24 hours of His life. He is betrayed by His disciples who deny even knowing Him. See Mark 14:66-72 Peter denies Jesus as Jesus had prophesied and then realizing what he has done he breaks down and weeps. Are we denying Jesus when we say He doesn’t exist? Yes. Are we denying and betraying Him when we say false things against Him such as “he doesn’t love me, doesn’t care, can’t…” Yes. Yet Jesus loves us anyway. Even after all these betrayals, Jesus was still willing to die for us and do God’s will.
Look at Mark 14:36 “Abba,
Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Jesus is in incredible anguish from His very soul. He cries out to God to take it away. He knows He will suffer greatly – more than anyone else ever can or will. You think your suffering is greater? Have you been whipped forty times so that you are almost dead? Maybe you have. Have you died nailed to a cross with people jeering and mocking you? Maybe someone you know has been killed in a very grotesque way. Have you taken the sins of the entire world, past, present and future on you and taken responsibility before God for these? Then descended to the depths of hell and fought Satan himself? Then taken back the power that was given to Satan at the fall of humankind back in the garden of Eden so that the only power Satan has is the power of the lie? Yes – the lie. The lies he tells you – that God can’t; God doesn’t exist; God doesn’t care. Those are lies from Satan because that’s the only power he has left – to deceive you.
So back to my questions. Have you done all those things that Jesus did for the entirety of humankind? And then to top it off, Jesus came back from the dead. Have you done all those things and suffered that much? I know that I haven’t. I suffer from debilitating and chronic headaches and pain. I have anaphalactic reactions to things all the time. I have had people reject and betray me – those whom you’d think would never do such a thing; those whom I was closest to. Yet I think Jesus trumps all of that.
You see, just as Jesus prayed to God we must pray. “Your will be done.” There is a purpose in all things my friend. We don’t know the purpose but God does. And in all things God makes it all good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Moral of the story? Trust God even when the lies are being whispered in your ears and mind and heart. Know the truth that God loves you no matter what. That Jesus died for you and ALL of humankind. That Jesus fought Satan and rose again. Because He loves us. Simple. Just believe and our loving and gracious Father God will take care of the rest because He is God. Let’s let God be God and stop trying to play God ourselves. And while we’re at it, let’s stop believing the crap that Satan throws our way – those lies – all of them – need to be thrown by the power of God back at Satan for good.
I’ve got my bat to hit those lies back to Satan in the power and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. How about you?