Hard Stuff, Good God
Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10b
The world is a hard place to live in right now. I recently read an article that broke my heart about Christian children being beheaded and their heads put on a stick for display by ISIS. Many of the parents have also lost their lives. Others have been forced to convert to Islam or lose their homes. (http://cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/barbara-boland/leader-isis-systematically-beheading-children-christian-genocide?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Marketing&utm_term=Facebook&utm_campaign=B-christian-holocaust)
In an unrelated post I saw a short video of a fourteen year old American girl who had been seduced into prostitution by a young pimp. Another posted a testimony from someone outside an abortion mill trying to dissuade young women from making the horrible mistake of aborting their babies. She was ridiculed, cussed at, and even told she was wrong by a woman who said she attends an Evangelical church. This woman sees no problem with a mother making this decision. (What is she hearing on Sunday morning?)
This all led me to a place of frustration as right after I listen to or read these messages the next one is someone complaining about food (like my own recent post), or delighting in a new baby, or pictures of a family vacation. Facebook is sending me on an emotional rollercoaster these days. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the pictures and fun posts, the complaints about food, or the news of a new house or a new car. It’s just that they all seem to fade in comparison to what is happening to people all around the world. I feel guilty when I want to rejoice with someone.
Our (sure) hope, of course, is that God is sovereign and He is not caught unaware, as I am, about what is happening in the world. I cannot see what He is doing in these things but I know He is not sitting by without judgment.
The bigger problem for me is that I can see that I am doing very little. This is largely because I have no idea what to do beyond praying. I feel obligated to know these things and compelled to keep reading. I also feel clueless about how to help. Then, I read this article. “Crisis in Iraq – Five Things You Can Actually Do to Help”. Even these are things like sign a petition, speak to your legislators, send money, and put up posts on Facebook and Twitter. I don’t know how much they will help so I probably won’t do all of them, but I am grateful for some direction. http://www.christiantoday.com/index.php/article?a_id=39094&slug=crisis.in.iraq.six.things.you.can.actually.do.to.help&page
Mostly, I am thankful for my faith in the Sovereign God of the universe to be in control. Though I may do something from the list I am truly doubtful that they will make a difference. I might feel better for having tried. I know that no one and nothing but our great God can change these situations.
In fact, He is the One who has sovereignly given the good gifts I read about on Facebook. Romans 12:15 says that just as we are to weep with those who weep, we are also to rejoice with those who rejoice, (Romans 12:15) (as I am doing in my own new granddaughter!)
Makes me think of all of the time Jesus spoke about the end times so that when we see things like this happen our faith will not be shaken. I love it that your posts usually make me pull out my Bible; it is such a good thing (TY). This post has me reading Matthew 24, I hope it will bless and comfort your heart too. Jesus has certainly got it all under control, but for sure we need not sit by being idle. Thank you for all of your wonderful posts.
Thanks Cindy, It always brings me joy to hear that The Lord is using what He has called me to do to keep someone looking back in His Word! Matthew 24 is certainly a chapter we could all be taking instruction from. It looks like we still have some work to do to be ready for Christ’s return!
Great post Beth! I think we tend to feel so helpless during these terrible times and… maybe a bit guilty that so many suffer while we do not? There is much of Scripture that is written to the persecuted church which we know nothing of. This quote from Charles Spurgeon was posted to my NF this morning that I wanted to share. Thanks so much for all your work and encouragement and Grace to you and your family!
“Most of the grand truths of God have to be learned by trouble: They must be burned into us with the hot iron of affliction, otherwise we shall not truly receive them. No man is competent to judge in matters of the kingdom until first he has been tried since there are many things to be learned in the depth which we can never know in the heights. We discover many secrets in the caverns of the ocean, which, though we had soared to heaven, we never could have known. He shall best meet the wants of God’s people as a preacher who has had those wants himself, he shall best comfort God’s Israel who has needed comfort, and he shall best preach salvation who has felt his own need of it.” – Charles Spurgeon
Congratulations on your new granddaughter Beth!!! Thanks for you posts, it is always what we are all going through also!!!
Cheryl Baus