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Seeking the perspective of Jesus

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 NIV

“There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart.” Alan Redpath

“Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the godless scoundrels of the world seem to get all the good breaks? Why does God allow famines, diseases, wars, persecution, poverty, financial crisis, and all forms of bad things in the world? But most of all, why does He allow His family to go through these things? He can stop them anytime He wants; sometimes, He gives a miracle to turn things around, and other times He doesn’t. Why? Why? Why?”

Do you want to add any questions to the ones above? Go ahead, but even if you insert a specific problem you are dealing with right now, you might not find a satisfactory answer unless you are willing to accept words like, “Mysterious” - “Yet to be revealed,” - “Something God is doing that you can’t see right now” - “Trust Him” - “It will work out in His way and that is the best way.” You must understand that we cannot fully understand God and His ways; I will not attempt to explain His ways. I only know He is not accountable to me in how He uses or causes my life to be used. But I know His heart, and this causes me to trust the mysteries that surround Him even if they seem awfully confusing sometimes, and I also believe with all my heart that He is on His throne.

A few years ago, I met a man after he had given a speech at a meeting I was attending. He shared about his fight with cancer and the many good things that God had taught him through it. Afterward, I approached him and shared that I, too, had battled cancer and understood the extra grace God provides during such a time. He immediately asked me a question that he needed no answer for, as he only wanted to know if I had come to the same conclusion he had. He asked, “What was the major thought that comforted you during the scariest times in your ordeal?” Without thinking, I answered, “That God is sovereign over this disease and my life, and His grace will be sufficient for my family and me with whatever we face.” A great smile erupted from his face as he affirmed that this truth also carried him. Since then, my friend had another battle with cancer, and experienced the death of a son, followed a few months later by the death of his beloved wife. Through it all, this man has stood firm in his faith in God’s love for him and the unseen plan He has for him. This man has continuously declared God’s glory, honoring his King with his pain. Many of this man’s friends have watched his gallant run in a race from which many would have withdrawn. Many of us have asked God why he must endure such pain and heartbreak. “How could this produce glory to You, Lord?” However, these words have not been uttered from this man’s mouth, for he still stands on the fact that God is sovereign in his life, and His grace will always be sufficient. The reason for his pain is yet to be revealed and might not be in this lifetime. But we can rest assured that God will waste none of his tears.

Lately, I’ve heard some messages preached that would say simply that our illnesses and misfortune are either because of sin in our lives, lack of faith or not enough of it, or living outside God’s will. This kind of theology grieves me as it imposes an accusation on us that we must be doing something wrong or that God wouldn’t allow our problems. This theology would exclude the “thorn in Paul’s flesh” as sin or lack of faith instead of God’s will. This kind of theology would sound similar to the question the disciples asked Jesus about a man born blind. As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" (John 9: 1-2) How did Jesus answer them? Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:3)

“That the works of God might be displayed…..” I bristle at a simplified theology that would attempt to box God’s mysterious ways into a set of norms that do not allow Him to work mysteriously. I am angered by those who would impose a burden that the cause of illness or calamity in a Christian’s life is tied to an answer that we must be disappointing God somehow. However, I also understand that there is a strange connection to some truth to what they are saying. For example, in some cases, habits such as gluttony, addictions, and poor diets will deteriorate our physical health. Chronic worry and fear will deteriorate our mental health. Unconfessed sin and ongoing strongholds of evil in our life will deteriorate our spiritual health. Are these sins that we must confess and turn from? Yes indeed! Can they contribute to physical, mental, and spiritual illness? More than likely! However, are these causes the answer to all illnesses and setbacks? Definitely not!!!

Does God often allow pain and suffering in this world, especially to those in His family, for a purpose that glorifies Him better? Ask that question to the many Christian martyrs who have been impaled on spears, flayed by knives, crucified, and burned at stakes simply because they wouldn’t deny their faith in Jesus Christ. Could God have saved them? Yes, and He did. They sing His praises right now, and they thank Him for the privilege to have shared in the suffering of Christ. However, God allowed their pain and deaths to build His church, and God has wasted none of their tears.

In this century, more people are martyred because of their faith in Jesus Christ than in any other century in the last 2,000 years. These are vibrant people whose bodies have been raped, hacked to death with machetes, blown apart with guns and explosives, and inflicted with rampant untreated diseases, all because of their faith in Christ. Ask God if the reason for their deaths and misfortune is because of sin in their life, and then look yourself in the mirror and try to thank God “that you are not like those sinners.” I don’t believe it will be much later that God will allow you to experience an answer that you will not like. The lives of His children are precious to Him, and a simplified answer to a tragedy blaming it on sinfulness is wrong theology. If you want to simplify things, embrace these three things. (1) God is sovereign over your life. (2) He has a plan for your life, and it is good, even though it might look bad at the moment. (3) His grace is sufficient for anything you face, and you must trust Him. We do not know the purpose of our pain, loss, or tears. But we can always be assured that God will waste none of those tears.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire swept through the city, and a prominent lawyer lost almost everything he owned, for he had invested heavily in Chicago real estate. Two years before this tragedy, this man had also experienced the loss of a son. Because he was a deeply committed Christian and trusted his King, he weathered the losses. He maintained his trust in God as he continued to serve Him. Two years later, in 1873, this man and his family decided to take a holiday in England. It was not coincidental that his friend, D. L. Moody, would be preaching there. On the day of departure, the lawyer was delayed because of business but sent his family on ahead. While crossing the Atlantic, another vessel struck their ship, and over two hundred people lost their lives, including all four of this lawyer’s daughters. Upon arriving in England, his wife survived the tragedy and sent a telegram to him saying, "Saved alone." The lawyer immediately sailed to England, and while going over the location of his daughters' deaths, he wrote a poem in his journal that was later put into song. Perhaps you will recognize this song born from Horatio Gates Spafford’s tears. Follow the words and see if you can connect with this man’s heart:

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Could God have saved this man from all the grief and tears that he bore? Yes, of course, He could have. But God did not, for out of this man’s deep sorrow and tears was born a song that will be sung for eternity. It was part of God’s plan that this song be given to us, His family, for comfort. Right now, Horatio Stafford is singing praises to His King and a family that was also part of God’s will. Death has had no victory in this man’s life, and his sorrow has turned to joy and has been used to comfort many people, including me. If you could ask him, do you think his tragedy came from sin or God’s blessing? I think we would all know the answer to that question. But, back to my question: Can God use your tragedy, setback, or pain for His purpose and glory? You better believe He can, for God will waste none of your tears. Will you give Him your tears right now and allow Him to comfort you with His promise that all will turn out for good in your life and know that this difficult time is part of His plan?

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28