My God in the good times and the bad
I woke up the other morning to read the headline on front page of our paper that declared "12 miners found alive!" I was stunned that 12 of the 13 guys made it out alive and I couldn't wait to read more of what happened. As I read the article I was very gald to see the relatives giving all praise to God for getting them through this horrible ordeal. I sat and thought (with no disrespect to anyone) how would these folks have reacted if the news was different. Would they still be holding onto their faith has strongly has they are now.
Then it happened. The reports came in that the news media had been mistaken and 12 had died. What followed was anger, disgust, and fighting by the relatives of those lost. And to be honest I couldn't blame them. I could not imagine the roller coaster of emotions they felt then and still feel today. But my question still lingered in my soul, Is God still the same God to us in the good times and bad?
Beth has been praying for a job for over 2 years. Not just any job but a very specific job with a very detailed request to God. Then she gets a call a month or so ago that seems to good to be true. It was everything she had asked God for. So I asked her, what would she do if she didn't get that job? Would she still have faith that God was working something else out or would she get mad and just give up? I know, I'm a very supportive husband. But it's a tough question that needed to be asked and would require a tough answer. Is God the same God to us when we get the things we want as He is when we get nothing we asked for?
Here's the answer. For most of us...NO. I've seen to many times from "established" Christians, (that term is used here to describe a follower of Christ that professes their faith enough that they should know the basics of Jesus and thier faith) when things are great, good job, good health, close family, caring friends, good finances, and the feeling like Christ is right with you every step of the way, that they are the first to praise God and say how great it is to be a follower of Jesus.
BUT when things take a turn for the worst, lose job, get sick, someone close to you gets sicks and or dies, family is fighting, friends are no where to be found, you just can't seem to make ends meet, and God seems a million miles away they are the first to get mad at God and turn their backs on Him in an act that would rival my 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum.
Now I'm not saying that you can't get angry, discouraged, sad, upset, or even question why things are happening. But when those external events shift your feeling of praise and awe of who God is to resentment and bitterness then you have made God nothing more than a wish on a star, a penny in a fountain, a four leaf clover, or a rub on a magic bottle.
Our reactions to life's events, good and not so good, reveal a lot of how strong our faith in God really is.
If we really believe God is "I AM" then why don't our lives reflect that in any and every situation?
That's really what it comes down to...belief. You either believe God is I AM or you don't. You either believe Jesus is "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" or you don't. There is no in between.
Have I got it figured out? Nope. When Beth was pregnant with Jacob and it looked like we were going to lose him was I praising God? Not really.
But I do know who is in control and it's not me. And that's a good thing. Maybe that is to simple of a way to look at faith and life but to me that is what it all comes down to. I believe God is exactly who he says He is. He is alpha and omega, beginning and end. He is everything inbetween. he knows exactly what I'm going through. He'll never leave me or forsake me. And that keeps me grounded... in the good times and bad.
Then it happened. The reports came in that the news media had been mistaken and 12 had died. What followed was anger, disgust, and fighting by the relatives of those lost. And to be honest I couldn't blame them. I could not imagine the roller coaster of emotions they felt then and still feel today. But my question still lingered in my soul, Is God still the same God to us in the good times and bad?
Beth has been praying for a job for over 2 years. Not just any job but a very specific job with a very detailed request to God. Then she gets a call a month or so ago that seems to good to be true. It was everything she had asked God for. So I asked her, what would she do if she didn't get that job? Would she still have faith that God was working something else out or would she get mad and just give up? I know, I'm a very supportive husband. But it's a tough question that needed to be asked and would require a tough answer. Is God the same God to us when we get the things we want as He is when we get nothing we asked for?
Here's the answer. For most of us...NO. I've seen to many times from "established" Christians, (that term is used here to describe a follower of Christ that professes their faith enough that they should know the basics of Jesus and thier faith) when things are great, good job, good health, close family, caring friends, good finances, and the feeling like Christ is right with you every step of the way, that they are the first to praise God and say how great it is to be a follower of Jesus.
BUT when things take a turn for the worst, lose job, get sick, someone close to you gets sicks and or dies, family is fighting, friends are no where to be found, you just can't seem to make ends meet, and God seems a million miles away they are the first to get mad at God and turn their backs on Him in an act that would rival my 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum.
Now I'm not saying that you can't get angry, discouraged, sad, upset, or even question why things are happening. But when those external events shift your feeling of praise and awe of who God is to resentment and bitterness then you have made God nothing more than a wish on a star, a penny in a fountain, a four leaf clover, or a rub on a magic bottle.
Our reactions to life's events, good and not so good, reveal a lot of how strong our faith in God really is.
If we really believe God is "I AM" then why don't our lives reflect that in any and every situation?
That's really what it comes down to...belief. You either believe God is I AM or you don't. You either believe Jesus is "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" or you don't. There is no in between.
Have I got it figured out? Nope. When Beth was pregnant with Jacob and it looked like we were going to lose him was I praising God? Not really.
But I do know who is in control and it's not me. And that's a good thing. Maybe that is to simple of a way to look at faith and life but to me that is what it all comes down to. I believe God is exactly who he says He is. He is alpha and omega, beginning and end. He is everything inbetween. he knows exactly what I'm going through. He'll never leave me or forsake me. And that keeps me grounded... in the good times and bad.
Comments