Finding God in Adversity | Tuesday, August 09, 2005
FINDING GOD IN ADVERSITY
Throughout this period of time, I am just amazed by the way God works in my life and helps me to grasp this truth that it is only through the adversity of life that we can find Him. It is only through trials and difficulties that we find ourselves in dependence of Him, that we would lean on Him and trust in Him.
When the tsunami happened in December 26 2004 and it caused hundreds of thousands of casulties, people throughout the world were saddened and alarmed by the fact. They began to write articles questioning about the existence of God, the goodness of God and the power of God. They say it in this way that if God is a good God, why would He allow this disaster to happen in Asia? or if God is potent in power and might, why would this disaster happen at all? Thus, they came to two conclusions that either there is no God or else He is not all-powerful and all-knowing. They did not expect this disaster to happen at all and thus they came to this two conclusions. However, I came to another conclusion and the biblical Job helped me to come to this conclusion.
Job was a man in whom God delights. God blessed him so much that even kings would consult him for wisdom and that he was the wealthiest man in his nation for he feared God. He did not offend God at all and did everything correctly and he would pray for his sons daily. Yet all of a sudden, he faced adversity which he did not know. In just one night, he lost everything-his possessions, sons and even his health. His most precious apple in his eyes called him to curse God and die, probably, his wife discerned that it was God who took all these things away from them and she was perhaps grieved in her heart and angry with God. Perhaps, she too doubted the goodness of God and His Omnipotence and thus, she refused to believe anything about God and so, she told her husband to curse Him and die for there is nothing that God could comfort them. Job, however reacted in this way that he recognised that it was God who give him the blessings and thus it was also God's perogative to take away and he blessed the Name of the Lord. He also recognised that he should not only thanked God for the blessings but also he should accept the adversity that God brings and the Bible says it clearly that in all this, Job did not sin against Him.
In this way, I come to the conclusion that we would never understand the ways of God. Who are we to question God about His decisions even though it is painful? Do we think ourselves to be good, moral and wise enough to question God? The truth is we are fallen creatures and have fallen short of HIs Glory and that we have sinned against Him and against ourselves. If we claaimed that God took away lives just like that, how about us who took 6 million Jews just like that in one war? How about millions who perished in war? Was war started by God or is it by us? It made me wonder that we who are not moral should question about the goodness of God? Luke says it best that: "How can we judge our brother by saying that there is a speck of dust in his eye and offer to take it out when we ourselves did not see the log that is in our eyes? How can we be so daring enough to take out the speck that is in God's eyes or rather that we even dare to suggest that there is a speck in His eyes.
We who is so unworthy that God Himself would die for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us and yet we even dare to question His love. How sinful we are, we all are and how much more we need to repent of our thoughts and deeds.
Yet God always forgives our sins if we confesses and that He would never leave us nor forsake us especially in times of trouble. David says it best in Psalms saying: "Where can I flee from your Presence? If I go to the Sheoul, even there I will find You." God is always by our sides and He is never far from us. We do not need to seek Him for it is Him who seeks us first. The question we should ask ourselves is do we even want to be found by God and that we would surrender to God and sing this song especially when adversity struck that it is well, it is well in our souls. It is only through thiese times that our faith can be strengthened, that we learned compassion and love for our fellow human beings, pathethic creatures though we are, yet created in the image of God.
I like to encourage you all who read my blog that we learn to praise God not only in times of prosperity but especially in times of adversity as well. It is well, it is well in my soul for You are here. Even so, Amen.
Created at 11:52 PM
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Name: Joseph Chia
Age: 28
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