One of the toughest questions on earth is, “Where was God when I was [fill in the blank: raped, beaten, abandoned, dying, etc.]” How do you answer a question like that?
It’s difficult, but five things I have learned:
1) Everything wicked comes from Satan.
2) Everything good comes from God.
3) Although God is powerful enough to do anything, He sometimes steps back and allows the bad consequences of sin to run their course on this broken planet.
4) The amazing thing is how God can bring good out of bad, like how springtime flowers come from the dry seeds that die in the autumn. He can “redeem” the bad things in your past so you can go on to help others, just like God is allowing me to help others today — despite my past. I’ve been healed by Jesus.
5) There may be times in your life when bad things happen to you or someone you care about. Or you hear about something terrible like a natural or man-made disaster. Be careful not to blame God for bad things. Remember, oftentimes suffering is a consequence of a person or people’s bad choices and God is not responsible for that. Remember, human nature in everyone is fallen. Our natural leaning is not toward God or doing good. Think about it: We have enough food and resources to keep kids and people from starving to death. We, as mankind, have the resources to provide clean drinking water and medicine that can provide good health for millions. But man is basically self-centered, greedy and rebellious against God. That is why we all need to trust and obey God so that we don’t add to the negative consequences in this world. If you have asked God to forgive you and give you the power through his Holy Spirit to do right from this point on, He can and you will.
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God-those whom he has called according to his plan.” (Romans 8:28 – GWT)
“The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10 – GNB)
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me…
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1, 3 – NKJV)
Watch Victor and Eileen Marx this Monday on LIFE Today. Excerpted from The Victor Marx Story by Victor Marx with Wayne Atcheson and James Werning. ©2008 by Victor Marx. Used by permission.
