Going through a tough time? Experiencing a crisis, a trial, an insuperable problem?
Contrary to what you might be feeling right now, let me remind you that your Lord is a good God.
He is a God of kindness and mercy.
Sometimes we need to remind one another about this. Especially if we’re going through the northeast corner of hell.
The Lord allows pain and suffering to come into our lives for reasons too numerous to list.
Sometimes it is to get our attention, to soften our hearts, and to bring us to a place of sheer desperation for Him.
Other times it is to show us areas of our lives that we would have never seen before.
Sometimes it is to demonstrate His power and glory against the dark backdrop of a black night.
Other times it is to build something eternal within our character that cannot easily be dismembered.
When we’re walking through the fire, it’s easy to doubt God’s love and care for us.
But here are two proofs of God’s unwavering love for you.
1. Think of the person on this earth who loves you the most . . . the person who will always be in your corner come hell or Hiawatha. If that person, a mere mortal, can love you unconditionally and without qualification, how much more does the God who created them love you? That person is a living reminder of God’s care for you.
2. The second proof is one word: Calvary. The hill upon which Jesus died.
Lift your eyes up to that hill. It was there that Jesus Christ yielded His life for all women and men, including His worst enemies.
It was there that Jesus died so that He could win you, imperfections and all. Anger and all. Doubt and all. Anguish and all.
Jesus laid His life down for you knowing every action you would take from birth till death. Even the actions you now regret.
He sacrificed His life to save yours knowing all the doubt you would have about Him. The mistrust. The questioning. Even the anger.
And yet . . . still . . . He spilled His blood for you, taking the blame for the sins of the whole world . . . including yours and mine, though He Himself was innocent and without blame.
What unfathomable kindness.
What unspeakable mercy.
Calvary is the certain proof of His incredible love for you.
Read Romans 8:28 until the end. God is for you, not against you. He has not rejected you.
On the contrary, He is in your corner right now, wooing you to Himself.
He is on your side, desiring to comfort you. For He is the Lover of your soul.
In the Old Testament, King David — whom the Bible calls “a man after God’s own heart” — would often express his emotions toward the Lord in the Psalms.
Sometimes sadness. Sometimes depression. Sometimes anger and confusion.
We should rejoice that these Psalms are in the Bible. They tell us one thing: The Lord can handle our negative feelings, even if they are aimed at Him.
So turn your pain, your doubts, and your frustrations into fellowship with the Lord.
Our God is that big. His love is that awesome.
In fact, the Lord would rather have us open up about our feelings, even if they are negative, than to hold them inside.
So pour your heart out to Him. He is ready to listen and embrace you through the storm.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
He is beyond kind . . .
See also If God Is For Us
Thank you so much for this.
this is my opinion about suffering for the Christian. If you carefully look at the context of the New Testament, there was only two reasons why the first century believers suffered: 1: persecution, 2: self-sacrificing Love. It remains the same today. God will not use sickness, poverty, or punishment to conform us to the image of Christ. instead, He uses persecution and developing the spirit of self-sacrifice in us. God delivered us from all the curses of the law which includes sickness and poverty. God no longer punishes his children, Jesus took our punishment for us. that is called grace.
That’s not entirely true. Other reasons are the discipline of the Holy Spirit and the harassment of satan.
Fantastic! Just what I needed to hear this morning! Thank you.
Great post. Love the Psalms.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Amen.
I constantly need to be reminded. Thank you.
I needed to be encouraged, and this message came at the right time. thanks bro. love always.
Needed to hear this. Thanks Frank!
I so needed to be reminded of that today. Thanks Frank!
Great Post Frank! I really needed to hear this today! Thanks for sharing! Our God is a good God!
Frank,
What a great post, and very timely indeed. Such truth here. Love ya:)
Thanks for sharing brother! What a great reminder of the eternal perspective of His Life in and through all things…