God, How Can You...?

Let's talk about questions. I don't mean just your typical, "Why is the grass green?" type of questions. I mean the questions we so badly want to ask God sometimes, or maybe all the time. Personally, I have had so many and still do. To be real honest with you, most of those questions are about God's character, faithfulness, love, and how He sees people, situations, and me.

I want to list a couple questions I have frequently asked God. I do not mean once or twice. I mean, these questions have weighed me down. Some I have asked incoherently through tears. Others I have "asked" while pounding my fist into my steering wheel or shouting when no one is around. I do not necessarily endorse doing those things, but God does not my mind us asking questions, even when they are the wrong questions to ask and really miss the mark. I am not sure how long I will blog about these question or how many I will post, but feel free to post some of yours and how God has helped you understand the answer.

Question: If it's really God, why does it hurt?

I remember when serving God was "easy" as a child. I did not have to worry about anything. The issues and responsibilities of life had not hit me, and as far as I knew, life was perfect as long as I made it home from school in time for my favorite TV show (Batman: The Animated Series). Or, life was perfect as long as recess did not get moved inside because of that demonic, hell-conceived storm that was a-brewin' in the form of a green blob on TV, destined to ruin what might have been the ultimate game of basketball.

Somewhere along the way, God starts to ask you (*gasp*) to DO something for Him. I am not talking about earning God's favor. He simply leads you to do something. Maybe at first you leap at this chance. "BRING IT ON!!!" Then...oh wait...you realize it is going to cost you something. It is going to cost you some comfort, time, emotional pain, or your right pinky-toe. Whatever the case, you found out it is not always "easy" to follow God because you start thinking about the costs of the moment.

I cannot tell you how many times I have asked God, "If this is really You, why am I so stinkin' miserable? Have You forgotten about me? Did You forget that the only reason why I am in this situation is because of YOU?!?!" I find it kind of funny now, but let me tell you, I have "prayed" some of the most accusational prayers you can pray to God. No one is publishing those prayers in a devotional book any time soon, I can assure you.

The issue here is perspective. The issue is purview. God has helped me so much in this I cannot even begin to tell you. He has brought me so much joy because this has gotten lodged in my heart, and I am not letting it go for anything. I am fighting for it, clinging to it, and throwing down some complex karate moves on any and every thing that tries to take what God has revealed to me.

So here it is. God never leads me into ultimate pain. God never brings me to a place where I cannot be joyful. Now before you throw it out, let me tell you I did not say following God will not hurt. What I am saying is God, ultimately, if He is leading me to do or say something, it will bring me (and Him) pleasure. You want to know why the disciples endured what they did? They believed this. They believed that although in the moment they were suffering, they could have joy because ultimately, suffering for God's sake has reward attached to it. They were so confident that they had a future (and here is the key word) HOPE that no suffering could possibly compare to the reward found in doing God's will and pleasing Him. If you believe that, nothing can really hurt you. CHECK THIS OUT!!!:

I Peter 1:3-9
"3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

The "salvation of your souls" being talked about here is saying the only way suffering and pain and hurt can possibly discourage you from following God is if you believe the surpassing greatness and pleasure and reward found in following God is outweighed by the current cost. Let me tell you, if you are discouraged right now because you are following God, the only reason you feel that way is because you have not yet persuaded your heart that there is tremendous gains to be found in serving Him and that EVERYTHING ELSE is a loss in comparison to that (Philippians 3:7-11).

Start today!!! It's too good to live without!!! You only get what you believe, so start believing what you read in the Bible about God and your identity in Him so you can possess it and become it!

More questions to follow in the future so stay tuned...

Sunday, November 16, 2008