There are inevitable times in a person’s life when they encounter difficult situations that cause them to question God. Some of these events can be quite traumatic and shake us to the core of our being. Sometimes they are sins that are committed directly against us. Other situations occur to family members or loved ones. Finally, some situations happen to a community of people, like the Twin Towers in New York.
Each of them can tempt us to question God’s goodness and or His ability to control what happens. We all struggle with the “why God” question. When we can’t understand what is going on, we are tempted to climb up onto the judge’s bench and begin to render a judgment against the Almighty God. That rebellion increases when, after demanding an answer to why, we get no response.
For many of us, we are tempted to simply walk away from the Faith and from God, who is love itself, our hearts desire. But there is this pain in our hearts now, caused by this event. So rather than trusting and holding onto Him, many just walk away. This is not how it should be.
The events that occur should not be
the substance that defines our faith in God.
Rather, it is our faith in God
that defines the events that occur.
We have a great example of how one can take a difficult situation and turn it into a good when one holds onto God. Take Joseph, in Gen. 37:12-36, for example, when his jealous brothers sold him into slavery to the Ishmaelites. Joseph could have easily cursed God but chose not to.
He was sold, again, to the wife of an Egyptian Captain of the Guard, named Potiphar. Because of Joseph’s faithfulness to God and His ways, God remained with him and blessed all those whom Joseph attended (Chapter 39). His story is filled with twists and turns that would have made anyone think that all was going wrong. However, Joseph did not let go of his God.
His journey eventually led him to command all of Egypt, second only to the pharaoh. It was during his reign that he was able to save his entire family from a great seven-year famine that not only hit all of Egypt, but the region of Canaan as well.
Listen to the heart of Joseph as he reveals himself to his brothers. See how his faith in God enabled him to see how God used his “selling into slavery” for the ultimate good. “And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Gen.45:5 NRSV) Too often we are quick to judge God when we have no real idea of the “Big Picture” that God is always looking at.
Lord Jesus, help us to change our rebellious hearts. Give us the gift of faith. Instead of being quick to judge and to dismiss you, help us to become quick to trust in your goodness and love. Amen!
I came to an understanding a while ago, actually since a life changing car accident almost two years ago, that God only allows bad things to happen when he knows something even better will
proceed from it. “I Trust In You Jesus.” Its not always easy and I’m growing in this new revelation little by little. I have actually adopted another perspective on this just recently. I know that satan can throw out thoughts into our minds in the hope that we will believe them. If we embrace them, we become owners of them the same as if we rebuke them, they fall away as do the lies they contain.
Knowing the full extent Jesus went to in order to redeem us, I believe with all my heart, mind, and soul that he does not point fingers at us and will not shame us. He smiles on us and encourages us to come to him, broken pieces and all. He is our maker and creator and loves us in ways that most of us can not even comprehend. Realizing this myself, when dark thoughts such as; “I’m not worthy… I messed up again…” come into my mind, I verbally rebuke them in the name of Jesus, and they truly do go away. We need the courage to believe in his amazing, overwhelming, sincere love for us so that we, in turn, can denounce satan and all his evil works.✨
After almost 8 years of being separated from our son and his family due to something that we didn’t realize happened to them (his affair), our daughter-in-law has completely cut the entire rest of the family off from him and our grandchildren.
Now their oldest son is 19 and a freshman at the university near by, he will not respond to us. It is such a sad situation as we have missed so much with the kids.
During the first 2-3 years I was going through so many different feelings re: God, my faith and the intercessions of the saints in prayer. I am still so sad, but I just now ask God for peace of heart. Our son has told us via texting that he still loves us, but he won’t ” turn his back on his wife”. We are sure it is due to his guilt. My husband has, however, become very angry about him and his wife and says that he would not allow him to come to us ever again. I am sure it is due to my very sad reaction for years. It is so hard for me to understand why my prayers are not being answered in the way I need them to be. I do know that He will do what is best for all of us. I miss our son and his children so much. His wife is showing her control over her family as I am sure she thought that she was losing it all during his affair. She had to do something to feel in control again and I think it was all of the rest of our family. Our other grandchildren just do not understand why they are not loved by their uncle and his kids.
I love my Lord and Savior but it is so hard to understand if we will ever see our son and his family before we die. I do thank God for my Catholic faith even though at time I have “silent” temper tantrums. The Blessed Mother is a great comfort during this time. Is there anything I should be doing to improve my prayer life?
God bless you always.
Suzanne,
Thank you for sharing your “sacred ground” with us. I know that there are no word that could ever take away the pain. I can offer you a perspective that
I have come to recognize.
We who are a part of the body of Christ are entering a period of purification through suffering. I don’t know of a single person who is not experiencing some form of suffering, either physically or emotionally or through a loved one.
Our immediate reaction is to pray for relief (quite a human response to pain) but our call is to trust in God’s Grace-filled providence and hold on to him.
I fear, your husband (out of zealous love for you) is reacting as Satan (the Father of Hatred) tempts him to. As the spiritual leader of the family he is called to lead his family into forgiveness and healing.
So what do we do?
Unite this suffering to Jesus’ passion for the souls of all who are involved. You may not be able to physically love them now, but you can love them and do things that will be both seen and understood eternally.
Remember that three things remain: Faith, Hope & Love. By these will we be judged.
It is never easy to do the right thing in the midst of pain. But it is there where it is needed most, for the benefit of others.
Meet you in prayer,
Dcn Ralph
Amen! Looking at life through the lens of faith makes all the difference. Our God is almighty and all loving. Nothing in our life escapes his direct or permissive will. He works EVERYTHING for the good!