There is a lot of pain and suffering in this world, and sometimes it seems that God just sits back and watches and doesn't care. Why is that? I don't know if we're ever going to find an answer to that question while we're still alive, but I'd like to give my opinion.
Why does it seem like God doesn't want good things for me? Why wouldn't he want me to have good health, and to be happy and safe? Why wouldn't he want me to have enough income to pay my bills, help my kids with school, and go on a vacation once in a while? It doesn't seem like these things are that much to ask for. I don't think He's that concerned with these things because there is something that is much more important to Him.
Larry Crabb has written many highly-acclaimed books including "Finding God", "Inside Out", and "The Marriage Builder". In addition to being a best-selling author, Dr. Crabb is a psychologist and counselor. I've read several of his books. They are all very good, but some of them are kind of hard to follow because they are written at a very deep level.
"Shattered Dreams" is a book by Dr. Crabb that is different than the others. I recently discovered it and found it to be much easier to read than "Finding God", for example. I believe that this is because he experienced what he wrote in this book personally, and that the subject matter was extremely important to him.
The premise of this book is that joy and happiness are two distinctly different things. Most of us believe that the most important thing that we can have is happiness. Plenty of money, a loving spouse and obedient kids, good health, a good job, a nice house, etc. The list could be quite long. But my belief is that this isn't necessarily what God wants for us.
What God really wants for us is to have joy. While that may include happiness, it doesn't mean it has to. In fact, the Bible does say that as we like to give good things to our children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him! So why doesn't he always give us those things? It's because sometimes they hinder us from experiencing the true joy of knowing Him.
Sometimes God will let us experience pain and suffering so that we don't become too satisfied with our current lifestyle. He also realizes that we can get very busy trying to maintain that "happy" lifestyle, and that will also limit the joy we will find by having relationship with Him. What happens when we experience this pain? Most of us will do whatever we can to get rid of it.
"Shattered Dreams" encourages us to allow ourselves to feel that pain, to mourn, and to grieve. It is in the midst of these trials, and on the other side of them, that we encounter God, and only then are we able to experience the true joy that He desires. It is not comfortable or fun, but it is ultimately the only true path to joy, and in my opinion, the reason that bad things happen to good people, and why God allows suffering. - 16928
Why does it seem like God doesn't want good things for me? Why wouldn't he want me to have good health, and to be happy and safe? Why wouldn't he want me to have enough income to pay my bills, help my kids with school, and go on a vacation once in a while? It doesn't seem like these things are that much to ask for. I don't think He's that concerned with these things because there is something that is much more important to Him.
Larry Crabb has written many highly-acclaimed books including "Finding God", "Inside Out", and "The Marriage Builder". In addition to being a best-selling author, Dr. Crabb is a psychologist and counselor. I've read several of his books. They are all very good, but some of them are kind of hard to follow because they are written at a very deep level.
"Shattered Dreams" is a book by Dr. Crabb that is different than the others. I recently discovered it and found it to be much easier to read than "Finding God", for example. I believe that this is because he experienced what he wrote in this book personally, and that the subject matter was extremely important to him.
The premise of this book is that joy and happiness are two distinctly different things. Most of us believe that the most important thing that we can have is happiness. Plenty of money, a loving spouse and obedient kids, good health, a good job, a nice house, etc. The list could be quite long. But my belief is that this isn't necessarily what God wants for us.
What God really wants for us is to have joy. While that may include happiness, it doesn't mean it has to. In fact, the Bible does say that as we like to give good things to our children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him! So why doesn't he always give us those things? It's because sometimes they hinder us from experiencing the true joy of knowing Him.
Sometimes God will let us experience pain and suffering so that we don't become too satisfied with our current lifestyle. He also realizes that we can get very busy trying to maintain that "happy" lifestyle, and that will also limit the joy we will find by having relationship with Him. What happens when we experience this pain? Most of us will do whatever we can to get rid of it.
"Shattered Dreams" encourages us to allow ourselves to feel that pain, to mourn, and to grieve. It is in the midst of these trials, and on the other side of them, that we encounter God, and only then are we able to experience the true joy that He desires. It is not comfortable or fun, but it is ultimately the only true path to joy, and in my opinion, the reason that bad things happen to good people, and why God allows suffering. - 16928
About the Author:
Matt Hellstrom is a husband and father of five wonderful adopted kids. Check out some tips for effective parenting skills that Matt and Julie have learned in the last 15 years. You can also read his opinion about why bad things happen to good people. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
No comments:
Post a Comment