This past Sunday (2-1-09), we talked about how God tests his children. Pondering such things compels us to wonder about God's goodness. We think, "ok, yes, God has good purposes in mind when he tests his children; on the other side of the testing are treasures that stretch beyond our imagination (James 1:12). But still, my trials are so painful. The hurt and pain is seems inconsistent with a loving and caring God. How are we supposed to think of such things?"
It's important to remember from the start that there's not a response that will satisfy our curiosity. But you know, that's really not what we need. We ask these questions not so much to satisfy intellectual curiosity, but really, to help us trust. We don't really need "answers," per se; we need to be helped into position to trust.
Something that helps me understand such things is remembering this world is terribly broken and hopelessly beyond fixing itself. You see, our culture commonly thinks that the world runs on autopilot always bringing out the best; that goodness and beauty just happen all by itself. So when bad things happen (some think) something must have interrupted the world's normal state of harmony, peace and life. This is a very popular notion today. When people say, "people are essentially good on the inside," they are expressing this idea. When most people say, "life is good," they mean "life is good, all by itself."
The Bible actually teaches the opposite. From the very beginning of the Bible, the world is viewed as this ominous, menacing force. It's chaotic and dangerous. Left on its own, it spits out violence, evil and harm. Throw our sinfulness into the mix and you've got a recipe for a world that is fraught with trouble and misery. The reality is our world is not some picturesque utopia, but its the broken abode where we all live.
How does this help? It helps by showing us that the troubles and hardships of our lives aren't the result of God interrupting our great life with problems. God has nothing but kindness and mercy for his children; the harm and danger already exist in this world; in fact, that's normal. The problems in life shouldn't be surprising; what's truly amazing is the goodness of God given to sinners such as us.
"But, Brian," you're thinking, "God could still do something. Ok, the world is broken, but God could stop bad things from happening to me." That may be the case, but that may not be what's best for us. For example, my sons would probably like me stopping some of their "hardships." I could spare my boys a lot of grief by being overly protective. But is that good for them? No, its not. While I'm not the one who inflicted my boys with harm (say, challenges with friends at school), I'm also not necessarily relieving them of those challenges (like, moving to a different school district). Certainly, a loving father carefully discerns when his children need help, but he doesn't simply remove them of hard situations.
Life is good, but its good because of God's grace given through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything good in life is a result of God's love; even when life is hard, God's looking to produce life and joy. Our calling is to trust him in it all. Thankfully, he's proven himself trustworthy.
What do you think?
4 comments:
Okay, I have a question I have been pondering since our small group. We started discussing how God tests us. We discussed how such things such as the Super Bowl and commercials may test some people because of the content. Here is an example that would come to mind. If a person struggles with alcohol then watching the commercials for Budweiser would tempt the individual to possibly take a drink. However, I cannot help but wonder if God is actually testing us or is Satan tempting us? Satan knows our weaknesses and he knows just how to hit us in the right spot.
Or is God testing us through Satan's temptations.
I understand how God tests us through difficult times such as the economy but I have a hard time believing that every struggle is God's testing and not Satan's tempting. I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance for your opinion.
Good question. James 1:13-14 are very helpful here; its reads, "13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."
Some people make a distinction between God testing us and God tempting us to sin. Testing usually refers to hard situations in our life; possibly challenges that stretch our faith. Tempting has more to do with the idea of being lured into sin. It seems from James 1:13-14 that God does not lure people to sin the way a fisherman lures in a fish, or the way the police set up sting operations. I don't think God is in the business of entrapment.
We also can give Satan too much credit, also. Vs. 14 doesn't say we are lured into sin by Satan, but by our evil desires. Our biggest problem is our own sinfulness and brokenness.
So I hear where you're coming from; I think your intuitions are correct. We shouldn't lay every temptation at the feet of God.
Am I touching on your question? Who else has an idea?
Pastor Brian
Thank you for your response. I really struggled with the concept that God is testing us through temptation. I didn't think that is how God would test us. Thank you for pointing out the scripture.
I personally was also conflicted by this seromon. I was taught when I was younger that GOD does not test you. I am reminded of JOB in the Bible and I think about all that he went through and he still kept the faith. GOD will only give us what we can handle. The Devil may be there tempting us with SIN, but GOD may put barriers in our live that we are to overcome to become stronger, like the death of child. Without being tested we can't grow as individuals. I believe that Satan is very powerful and he works hardest on the strongest of believers, but GOD is stronger.
Post a Comment