REST UPON HIS PROMISES
The Scriptures tell us that
adversities are not chance occurrence; that they as well as our so-called
blessings all come from the Hand of God.
The Bible in the Book of
Hebrews remarkably speaks of God’s discipline which may come in the form of
hardships or difficulties. “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you
as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not
disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline) then you are illegitimate
children and not sons.” (Hebrews 12:7-8)
God’s Word is consistent in
telling us that calamities and good things come from God. God is Sovereign. He
is in control of everything no one can question Him or hold back his Hand. God
is God and He alone can produce good, out of even the worst of disasters,
calamities, pain, sorrow even death, and give life even to the dry and lifeless
bones.
Listen to what the Prophets
says, “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it
not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?”
(Lamentations 3:37-38)
“When disaster comes to a
city has not the Lord caused it.?” (Amos 3:6)
“I form the light and create
darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the Lord do all these
things.” (Isaiah 45:7)
Suffering, like all other
human experiences, is directed by the sovereign wisdom of God. In the end, we
learn that we may never know the specific reason for our suffering, but we must
trust in our sovereign God. That is the real answer to suffering.
The Christian faith is a
suffering faith. (See Philippians 1:29-30) While our Lord was on this planet He
offered prayers and pleadings with loud cry and tears. He prayed to be rescued
from death. His prayers were heard. He learned obedience from the things He
suffered. (Hebrews 5:7-8)
Some people, Christians and
unbelievers alike, have difficulty with this truth and even deny it or use it
as arguments against the existence of a loving God. They cannot believe that a
God of love is responsible for either the individual or public disasters that
come to us. They refuse to believe that a loving God disciplines His children
for their good and does this out of His very nature as a good and loving
Father.
But the clear testimony of
Scriptures stand against all our protestations or feeble theological attempts
at softening His Word. We need to recognize the Hand of God in all the
adversities we encounter, and fully yield to His Higher purpose through these
trying times. As mere mortals, we are not in a position to demand explanations,
from the Almighty God of Creation, but only rest upon His promises.
