It's Not On The Outside

Have you ever been buzzing with frustration after one thing after another, after another has gone wrong?  Ever thought, "if only I could just have a break..."?  Ever felt so wound up you think you might explode?

No matter what is going on in your life, though, none of that frustration is coming from the outside.  Frustration, anger, rage... they all start on the inside.  Yes, sometimes you should be angry and frustrated by the world you live in.  We should all be upset by injustice and cruelty, but letting that anger stew on the inside is not going to help.  It's not God's way.

Jesus is the perfect example of perfect balance.  He got angry, He expressed anger, and He always did it right.  It's pretty incredible to read some of the things Jesus did and said and to realise that He was always in control - He always spoke and acted in perfect love, not simply as a reaction to how He was feeling at the time.

When God created us in His image, He gave us the power of choice.  Animals, on the other hand, simply react to the physical conditions on the outside.  They are driven by circumstances.  Too often, we behave as though we are animals.  Something happens.  It makes us feel bad.  We let the bad feeling drive our response.  We give up our power to our emotions.  But no matter how we feel, we can choose how we respond - if we depend on God to empower us to do what is right.  In fact, even when we let our emotions control us we are making a choice - the choice not to do the hard work of thinking about what we're doing.

Often we try to control life.  We try to protect ourselves from bad things and ensure that good things happen to us.  There's certainly a place for taking sensible precautions, but we can't control our world.  No amount of preparation can protect us against all disease and natural disaster.  No amount of manipulation can stop other people from doing things we don't like.  What we can control, what we can choose, and what really matters is what comes from inside us.  It's our reaction to whatever happens, whether we like it or not.  We can choose to act in love despite pain and frustration.  Or we can let our emotions carry us.  What will you choose?

Why Me??

A common question in times of pain is: "Why me?"

Even devoted Christians often struggle with the great question "Why does God allow suffering?"

The answer is not really long and complicated. It doesn't take a university degree to understand, but few people are willing to accept the simplicity of the truth. As the Bible says: "the wisdom of God is foolishness to man." And yet, the 'foolishness' of God is far beyond the wisdom of man. What it does take is the Spirit of God to understand the things of God.

Suffering comes down to a result of choice. God gave man freedom of choice. When we make bad choices, suffering and pain is the result. Not always directly, and not always immediately, but eventually there is no escape from the consequences of our decisions. God allows the pain, not to be cruel, but to convince us that His Way is The Right Way.

Right now, it seems senseless that children, especially, suffer horribly, but it can all be traced back to the choices of humanity. Most especially our choice to tell God we don't need Him and we don't want Him.

God won't force us to do things His way, but nor will He rescue us from our failed paradise.

We can be excited and encouraged to know that God's plan is for everyone, and that He has ordained a second resurrection (raising the dead) to ensure that every man, woman and child has the opportunity to know Him and choose the Life He has to offer.

Beyond that time, God's promise for eternity is that there will be "...no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain..." (Revelation 21:4)

For now, pain is a by-product of human choice - we must suffer because we (humanity) choose our way. We can look forward to Christ's return, when we will learn to do things God's way and suffering will come to an end.

For a more detailed explanation of human suffering, you can read Why Does God Allow Suffering, or to learn more about God's plan for all of humanity (God has not forgotten or abandoned the millions of dead who never heard the name of Jesus Christ), try reading What Happens After Death.