Everything Happens For A Reason part 2

Life can be very difficult. We can be doing everything “right” and yet find out that everything worked out so wrong. We can treat others well and be treated very poorly. We can love opening our hearts and lives and share our deepest feelings with others only to have the reject us. We can obey all the laws of the land and still be hurt when someone else disobeys the law bringing harm on others. There are just so many things that are out of our control as difficult as that might be for us to accept.

So then what are we to do? Are we to follow the worldly idea that “everything happens for a reason” even though as we showed in last week’s article, the statement doesn't hold water? We must realize that sometimes we suffer because of our own decisions or the decisions of others. We also suffer because of the actions and decisions of those who have lived before us. The sin of Adam and Eve as well as the sins of the world that lead to the flood in the days of Noah has changed the climate of the world forever bringing with it the consequences of those sins such as physical ailments like heat stroke, hypothermia, and disease. The actions and decisions of those before us have made the nations we live in what it is today. We have many blessings because of those decisions and there are many sad conditions because of those decisions. For example, I am at this moment typing on a laptop while listening to bluegrass music on my Roku box while checking the email on my computer and having Facebook open for social interaction. This morning I have talked to people via email, Facebook, my cell phone and a cordless phone. Additionally, I drove my daughter to school in my pickup truck where we were protected from the elements. We started out in our warm home where we had cold milk on our processed cereal after taking a hot shower and putting on clean clothes. I could go on but I hope you see my point: we are truly blessed by the decisions of those who have gone before us. I have not created any of those blessings that I enjoyed this morning (although I have milked my fair share of cows and I can play bluegrass mandolin and do so from time to time but not at the level of Sam Bush or Mike Compton whom I am able to listen to this morning). I am thankful for those who have gone before me for these blessings.

However, the actions and decisions of others from the past have also brought hardship in our lives. I do not want to repeat the statistics shared weeks ago but let me mention quickly that the decisions of those in the past to legalize abortion killing babies by the millions is a tragedy upon this nation. The negative consequences of the removal of prayer from schools can be seen in statistics on all kinds of evil behavior amongst our young people. If you were to buy certain products at a department store today, such as spray paint, medicines, certain chemicals or ammunition, you would be asked your age because of abuses that had to be regulated in part by determining quantities and age limits for the item to be purchased. Again, we could go on. The point is that God is not micromanaging every aspect of our lives. He created us as creatures of choice and sometimes we do not choose wisely.

What then are we to do when we face obstacles and heartache? For one, if we are the cause of the problem, we need to repent of our sins and make things right as best we can (Luke 13:3). Second, if someone else has caused a problem with us, we should have the courage and love for their souls to go talk to them about the issue (Matt. 18:15-18). Third, if it is something out of our control, then cast your cares upon God for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). Get the burden off of your chest and go to the source of help and strength (Heb. 4:13-16). Fourth, put your faith in God and live according to His ways (Heb. 11; esp. v.6). Fifth, realize that there are some things you cannot change but that as much as is possible with you, you will live a peaceful life that brings God glory and others to Christ (Rom. 12:18). Sixth, let your light shine so that you can be a source of strength and health in the lives of others (Matt. 5:16). When others are suffering they need someone who will be there for them as a shoulder to cry on (Rom. 12:15) but more than that, they need someone who would point them to Jesus so they can find the real help for the hurts in their life (John 1:29,39,46; Matt. 11:28-30).

If we will seek God’s help when we stumble, if we will help others to understand how they hurt us, if we will work together to handle the issues of life and if we will walk in faith and trust with Christ, we can overcome the world (1 John 4:4; 5:4,5).