I just started reading a book by authors Jodi Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes called "When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty". If you don't know who Jodi is she became wheelchair bound in 1967 due to an accident. She has become a prolific author and speaker and often speaks about suffering. In the first chapter of her book, she talks about those who her organization helped with bringing wheelchairs and crutches to those who needed them in Africa. She talked about those who lived on the streets and yet appeared to have a joy that so many in America are missing.
Jodi's story is one that I ran across early on in my christian life because one of the most puzzling and profound questions in my early christian life was the problem of evil. What I mean is, that there are some godless, evil people in the world who appear to have it all and others who bear up under unbelieveable pain and misery quietly and with a confidence in God. You see the rich person who is fat and happy and has all the money they need in the bank and never has a day of pain. Then there is the faithful church attender whose husband leaves her or whose children abandon her in her time of need. Life seems horribly unfair at times in case you haven't noticed.
I have to admit I don't think I would be one of the solid christian people who bear up under their pain without complaining. The Lord knows I have it pretty good compared to most of the people of this world and I complain enough already. The writings of the psalms are refreshing to me because they don't try to hide behind a false wall of piety and hypocrisy. The psalmist complains loudly and with conviction. If you look in Psalm 73 you see him complain about the very thing that I just mentioned. The unfairness of the godless in prosperity while the righteous are hungry and thirsty and in need. The psalmist writes
"But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant, AS I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men; . . . ."
The psalmist goes on like this for a while and then we come to a pivotal section in verse 17
"Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely Thou dost cast them in slippery places; Thou doest cast them down to destruction." psalm 73: 17-18, NASV
What I believe he was saying there is that his perspective changes on the situation when he entered the sanctuary. He developed an eternal perspective. He saw that the rich and prosperous in the world's eyes were getting all of their riches now. While the righteous might lose out on those temporal riches, but their reward would come later and be eternal.
And so it goes. The rich and famous are so often seen in magazines and movies, but in real life actually don't appear much happier than anyone else. They seem to actually have just as many problems and have to deal with them in a much more public way than most of us. They seem to have just as many divorces and family problems and other issues. But, they are the ones who are getting all of their rewards now. So, when this party is done then it is truly done forever for them. It is all a matter of perspective.
Of course, there are still many questions surrounding the problem of evil. I can't wrap it all up for you in a small blog. Life is messy and there are a great many questions that will cause us to ponder what God is up to at times. Some situations that will cause us to have a crisis of faith at times and wonder if God is asleep at the wheel. Perhaps a personal tragedy or problem in our life causes us to wonder where God is. Again, I would repeat that the psalmist complained loudly and with passion to God. It is right there in the Bible. He didn't hide his complaint from God. And God was big enough to take it. I believe God appreciates a honest word of doubt and struggle given to him rather than a fake and false faith that has no depth.
Jodi's story is one that I ran across early on in my christian life because one of the most puzzling and profound questions in my early christian life was the problem of evil. What I mean is, that there are some godless, evil people in the world who appear to have it all and others who bear up under unbelieveable pain and misery quietly and with a confidence in God. You see the rich person who is fat and happy and has all the money they need in the bank and never has a day of pain. Then there is the faithful church attender whose husband leaves her or whose children abandon her in her time of need. Life seems horribly unfair at times in case you haven't noticed.
I have to admit I don't think I would be one of the solid christian people who bear up under their pain without complaining. The Lord knows I have it pretty good compared to most of the people of this world and I complain enough already. The writings of the psalms are refreshing to me because they don't try to hide behind a false wall of piety and hypocrisy. The psalmist complains loudly and with conviction. If you look in Psalm 73 you see him complain about the very thing that I just mentioned. The unfairness of the godless in prosperity while the righteous are hungry and thirsty and in need. The psalmist writes
"But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant, AS I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men; . . . ."
The psalmist goes on like this for a while and then we come to a pivotal section in verse 17
"Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely Thou dost cast them in slippery places; Thou doest cast them down to destruction." psalm 73: 17-18, NASV
What I believe he was saying there is that his perspective changes on the situation when he entered the sanctuary. He developed an eternal perspective. He saw that the rich and prosperous in the world's eyes were getting all of their riches now. While the righteous might lose out on those temporal riches, but their reward would come later and be eternal.
And so it goes. The rich and famous are so often seen in magazines and movies, but in real life actually don't appear much happier than anyone else. They seem to actually have just as many problems and have to deal with them in a much more public way than most of us. They seem to have just as many divorces and family problems and other issues. But, they are the ones who are getting all of their rewards now. So, when this party is done then it is truly done forever for them. It is all a matter of perspective.
Of course, there are still many questions surrounding the problem of evil. I can't wrap it all up for you in a small blog. Life is messy and there are a great many questions that will cause us to ponder what God is up to at times. Some situations that will cause us to have a crisis of faith at times and wonder if God is asleep at the wheel. Perhaps a personal tragedy or problem in our life causes us to wonder where God is. Again, I would repeat that the psalmist complained loudly and with passion to God. It is right there in the Bible. He didn't hide his complaint from God. And God was big enough to take it. I believe God appreciates a honest word of doubt and struggle given to him rather than a fake and false faith that has no depth.
