If you already know which aspect of this topic you want to explore, the links below might help you get straight to what youre looking for: Though some people may seem to have things easier than others, everyone experiences suffering of one kind or another. To understand how this can be true, well look at the overall story of Gods relationship with people in the Bible and where we are in that story now. God always provides what we need. The devil, in the form of a serpent, convinced Eve to eat from the tree by persuading her that God was holding out on her. After his brothers came to Egypt seeking food during the famine, Joseph revealed himself to them, and the family was reunited. Article Images Copyright , Banish the Unofficial Luggage of Foster Care, How Gods Presence, Provision, and Promises are Found in the Psalms. No, He is being patient for your sake. And fortunately, our Papa helps us with both. He does the same for you. depression, loneliness or porn use? It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . Psalm 18:1,Psalm 18:32,Psalm 18:39,Psalm 21:1, 13,Psalm 22:19,Psalm 28:7-8,Psalm 29:11,Psalm 33:6,Psalm 46:1,Psalm 59:17,Psalm 71:9,Psalm 73:26,Psalm 89:21,Psalm 118:14,Psalm 119:28. Are you struggling with making good choices? People are hurt by their own lack of judgment and by the bad decisions that others make. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. But sometimes choosing to change can be hard. Gods presence causes rejoicing (Psalm 95:2). Our choice is whether to experience life in an imperfect world in relationship with a perfect God or without Him. Here is what they have to say: GOD ALSO ERRED Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion professor According to some religious texts, God occasionally made a bad decision. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Sometimes they turn back to Him, only to reject Him again. Gods presence is good (Psalm 16:2, Psalm 73:28). David says, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (KJV). Do hurts and struggles drag you down? When Christians describe this truth about God, they call God the Trinity. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. Being betrayed by a friend or having a partner end your romantic relationship are sources of heartache that can have a lasting effect on future relationships. And ultimately He was tortured and executed by His enemies, with His own mother as a witness, having done nothing wrong Himself. I know perfectly well that Reeses Cups are not good for me. How long will You look the other way? Remember, there is an important difference between what God causes and what He allows. He did not say there was no need to mourn because He was about to raise Lazarus. Often, though, the pain we experience is the natural result of our own choices or of living in a painfully broken world. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. They will start right away, but you wont act perfectly 100% of the time right away. . What's the real truth Chasing and capturing fireflies is a simple joy of childhood. What does the Bible say about decision-making? There is a clear progression in this story. The Bible. For some, thats poor physical health or the death of loved ones. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? If you are a parent, you can understand how deep and painful it is to have your children reject you repeatedly. 1. Answer: Obedience to God proves our love for Him (1 John 5:2-3), demonstrates our faithfulness to Him (1 John 2:3-6), glorifies Him in the world (1 Peter 2:12), and opens avenues of blessing for us (John 13:17). Like any responsible parent, sometimes He imposes painful consequences designed to correct His children. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith. Elijah calls God's people to choose once and for all between the living God who delivered them, and this false god who has captured their affections: "'How long will you waver between two opinions? Revelation 21:1-4 is a sneak peek into what God has planned for the eternal home of His people: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. God is not afraid of your questions, your sadness or your anger. And the sea was also gone. So if suffering is part of your reality right now, hopefully you will find fresh hope as you see Gods plan to end suffering once and for all. God gives us the free choice and free will to live our lives the way we desire. 2023 From His Presence and Jamie Rohrbaugh. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Making the right choice isnt always easy. That is easier." The woman preferred being told what to do instead of using a precious gift from her Creator, the gift of free will. . We let our heart's desires lead us down paths that result in sin and destruction. BIBLE READING: Nehemiah 1:1-11 Prayer is an essential resource in good decision making. Proverbs: To Teach Wisdom, Discipline and Moral Instruction. Psalm 119:1-2, This is the covenant that I will make with them And His commandments are not burdensome. He did not force us to love Him. Instead, be very glad for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world. Some may be called to make the ultimate sacrifice, such as soldiers who lay down their lives to protect the lives and freedoms of others. God has a grand plan for. We see this in the description of the first time Jesus performs a miracle in John 2:1-11. God does that for us! Romans 8:28-30 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We were all born with a sinful nature, inherited from Adam. Revelation 19:11-16 describes the awesome power of Jesus Christ, returning to this earth with great authority. Food. But God intervened, and Joseph was eventually elevated to a powerful position. Whatever type of decision we are facing, there is information in the Bible about how to make the right choice. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Do not rip yourself apart with fear over making the wrong choice, because God is going to still walk by you either way. The book of Genesis tells the story of this first rebellion. But rather than tell us to stop grieving because our suffering will end, He grieves with us for His suffering people and His broken world. Required fields are marked *. We can discover amazing things in this book that are relevant to us today. . His thoughts are way different than yours were before you got saved. From answers to direct prayers to unexpected bonuses at work. God gave you the Bible so you could know Him. Who walk in the law of the Lord. We obey His commands, not because we have to, but because we want to, because we love Him. God experienced this pain first. And, as we've already seen, everyone suffers, regardless of whether or not the suffering can be linked to a specific personal sin. If someone chooses to punch you in the eye, you suffer the consequences of their actions in the form of a black eye. All rights reserved. Rather than physically preventing him from eating, God gave Adam a choice, and from that the possibility of choosing wrongly. He gives us the honor of. Sign up for the nine-part email series from the Resolution Movement. It is for our good, and it causes good in our life. To see all of these promises come together is to read and study Psalm 46. But these changes wont happen right away. Whatever youre experiencing, you can turn to God for comfort. Why God Allows Choice. Because Gods children are human beings made of flesh and blood the Son also became flesh and blood. If we make the wrong choice, we will have to pay the consequences. God is glorified when He extends forgiveness, because it is written, I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. Your email address will not be published. Worthy of God: Are Your Dreams Big Enough? But even these records of Davids despair usually end with him proclaiming his hope in God, because he trusted that God cared for him. By doing this, Jesus saved the host from social embarrassment and shame. Your email address will not be published. If you choose to cheat on a test, you may suffer the consequence of failing that test or the class, and there may even be consequences to your standing as a student. Often, He uses it to increase your compassion and ability to care for others who are suffering both those suffering generally and those suffering in similar ways to you. Find out how God can rescue anyone from the dark forces at work in the world. So God starts changing my will. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!. But what does that look like? He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people (Genesis 50:20). As a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry of the USA, all gifts to ICR are completely tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by U.S. law. But sometimes God will call you to choose the path of suffering for the sake of others and for His ultimate glory, just as Jesus did. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting Him might pass Him by. Learn how your comment data is processed. I would encourage you to write out this verse in a notebook or on a piece of paper. Jamie Rohrbaugh is an author and speaker who teaches people to manifest victory in every facet of life. God knows that one day He will eliminate all suffering. Every day, there is war, murder, rape and persecution happening all over the world. He told them, My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. This aspect of God can be difficult to understand and is impossible to fully comprehend, but it is both true and reasonable. Gods provision can be clearly seen in these next four psalms, which teach us even more truth about Gods provision. God is gracious. He will reward those who do right and punish those who do wrong. He respected our choice; He did not make that choice for us. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. Youll learn to truly love people. She provides for its every need. In order for us to be truly free, God had to allow something which is not his good moral will to exist so we can be absolutely f. There are many factors to consider, but the bottom line is: The Bible shows us that suffering, rather than disproving it, actually points to the existence of a good God who cares about people. (1 Peter 4:12-13). And breaking it down; our 9-1-1 Psalm91 To God be The glory, Amen. For He does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow (Lamentations 3:32-33). Answer (1 of 21): Absolutely! If we do not have it, we do not need it. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. We do not have a God who hides Himself. These can be incredible stressful to make due to the anxiety of not knowing which way to go. The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. God made the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and gave them the perfect, good world He made. When we obey the Lord, we can live a life of joy, without shame, rooted deeply in the Lord and confident in our eternal hope. His brothers were afraid he would seek revenge, but instead, Joseph told them, You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. Recognize that suffering can allow you to be like Christ, who knowingly chose to walk the path of suffering. Romans 15:13 is a great example of an encouraging prayer. We are faced with hundreds of decisions each day. Hope (Hegemann) Rethman is an elementary school teacher. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Death itself is a result of original sin. According to the Bible, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ( Romans 3:23 ). God can work in mysterious ways, and that includes navigating His servants. We often go through life making choices without giving much thought about them. In the Beginning | Creation.Live Podcast: Episode 14. Selling someone into slavery is not good, even though God was able to use that to bring something good about in Josephs case. In Mere Christianity, he explains, My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. Verse Concepts. He just has not done it yet. If you are a parent, and you tell your child not to steal but they choose to steal anyway, they will face consequences. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? But I trust in Your unfailing love. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed (Psalm 34:17-18). Philippians 4:6-7 says, Dont worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Sarah is the author of several Bible study resources found on her website, sarahefrazer.com/shop. This is a valid question. How Can You Be Set Free From Pornography Addiction? God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. Days of Praise Podcastis a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. . God provides sleep for us when we rest and trust in Him. I can't seem to make wise decisions, and I have trouble knowing what God wants me to do in various situations." Can you relate to this thought process? He can also use it to increase your faith or refine your character. The Bible proclaims: Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth to save mankind from destruction and establish the Kingdom of God. "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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