Because Sin Exists

The Wages of Sin

Today I am overwhelmed with hurt. It breaks my heart to hear the pain and anguish my dear friends experience. It is unbearable to know that loved friends carry with them the deep scars from their past. Friends around me are losing their parents or friends or siblings. In other instances, parents left their child with physical and emotional scars that may never disappear. Many dear friends are struck with diseases with which doctors do not have answers. The list goes on.

I am left with only one thought: Why? Why do we live in a world where hurt and anger and resentment run so deep? How could a God who loves us so dearly allow such events to take place?

A few things come to mind:

First and foremost, pain and suffering exist because of original sin. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, evil will exist in the world until Jesus returns. As a result, we are faced with trials and tribulations daily. But, how could we ever understand the goodness of the Lord? How could we truly experience the mercy and grace that only God can give us? It would be impossible.

Another thought that comes to mind is a story my pastor told us. He described a scene of the devil and God talking about Job. He painted a picture of the devil saying, "Of course Job is following You; You have given him everything he wants. Let's see if he will follow you if everything is taken away." This has been a continual thought in my mind. Will I still follow Jesus if I lose everything? If I am oppressed on every side, will I still lift my eyes up to the Lord? In the case of Job, he refused to curse the name of the Lord. Learning from his example, I pray that when hard times come, I stay strong and cling to my Rock. I know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that I may be made mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:3-4).

I wouldn't like to imagine a world where things were perfect and everything under the sun belonged to us. Do you know how selfish we would be? If we literally had everything we wanted, if we never experienced any hardship, we would be even more awful than we already are. A better character comes from the trials and tribulations we face in life. God promises to finish a good work in us (Philippians 1:6). If God puts you through a difficult situation, He PROMISES to get you through it. He will not leave you in the valley.

In closing, bad things are going to happen. The Bible promises trials. But, it is important to cling to your faith and trust that the One who gave you the storm can also calm the winds. 

Be Blessed.