“Dealing With Evil and Believing in God’s Goodness and His Provision”

I have felt assaulted by evil these past few weeks.  As I grapple with the incredible sadness of a little girl who was kidnapped and dismembered and know the sadness of our grandson who was a classmate of hers, I have not only struggled with my own emotions of sadness and anger and bewilderment, I have had to come face to face (as have many of you) with the turmoil of the unthinkable.  On the one hand, I know and serve a loving God who is good and just and sovereign and holy.  I know He could have stopped the perpetrator from carrying out this senseless, horrible act…I know He could have protected this little ten-year-old girl who was just doing normal kid stuff – on her way to meet up with a friend to walk the short distance to school.  Yet she never made it – either to meet the friend or to get to school.  I know God loved her; I know He loves her family; I know He is good; I know He cares.  All of those things I know. 

The news is full of pain as are our lives – a young woman Starbuck’s barista kidnapped and murdered and a neighbor arrested, leaving a young husband to weep and mourn and not understand.

A father – a kind, loving, godly man – dying of cancer. 

A woman, rejected years earlier by her Mother, tired of the struggles of this life on a daily basis, chose to take matters into her own hands, ending her life.  Hers is an ending of incongruities – wanting no more pain in this life and yet assured of the hope of Heaven and being with Jesus and with her Grandma!

I know that I can’t explain why or fix the pain or answer the questions.  Jesus said “in this world you WILL have tribulation, but be of good cheer…I have overcome the world.”   “God, how can I be of good cheer when faced with something so terrible?  How can I answer those who have asked the question – God could have protected her; why didn’t He?”  In such a time as this, I must deal with the deeper questions of the emotions of pain and suffering, but I also must focus on what I DO know.  I know that we have an enemy of our souls who tries to rob us of hope and joy and peace.  I know that until that time when God makes everything all right, we will struggle and suffer.  I know that Satan is a liar and an accuser.  I know that God is true and a Redeemer and is a Righteous God who one day will take away all pain and suffering and erase the hurt from our hearts and wipe away the tears from our eyes.  I know that little 10-year-old girl is in Heaven with Jesus and enjoying a life that we can now ‘only imagine.’  I know that He promises to walk with us through the valley of suffering.  I have confidence that what He promises, He will do – He will never leave us nor forsake us.  I know that Greater (far greater) is He who is in us than he who is in the world)! 

If you are in the valley of suffering as you read this post and are hurting or angry or confused or pondering, know that all of those emotions are valid.  Know that God loves you.  Know that He one day will bring justice and peace.  Know that He promises peace in the midst of your storm, and He invites you to come to Him now.  “In this world you WILL have tribulation, but be of good cheer…I HAVE overcome the world.”  The good cheer involves hope and it involves peace and it makes sense out of what otherwise seems senseless. 

God loves you (and me).  This I KNOW!