Searching for Signs in Sorrows

I have never made it a habit to venture guesses as to why God allows a specific sorrow or pain in my life. I know that suffering is part of His divine will, and I know that painful events and sorrowful situations tend to have a refining effect leading to patience and endurance. I do not, however, find it prudent to hypothesize about God’s specific purpose. To do so is futile and can lead you down a path of sign searching and self-deception. We don’t know the mind of God. All we know is what He has chosen to reveal to us through His Word. We should learn it and stick to it. To speculate about the pain in our life, or even worse, the pain in our brothers life, is harmfully foolish.

I once believed in a divine reward/punishment system. When I was naughty, bad things happened to me. When I was nice, I received lots of blessings. This Christian karma is a dangerous lie. True, when we live in sin bad things tend to follow, but that is just the destructive nature of sin. Sometimes God still blesses us even when we are walking in sin. Remember that demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Also, when we are living righteously bad things still happen. As Christians, this is sometimes a direct result of persecution. At other times, though, we are just collateral damage in a sin-stricken, decaying world. Either way, it hurts.

So when sorrow comes, don’t add to the misery trying to figure out some secret message from God. Don’t worry as much about the whys and the hows. Don’t assume God is punishing you for some unrelated sin or shortcoming. Instead, just continue to repent and trust that God will use the situation, the pain, the hurt, and the sorrow, to strengthen, establish, confirm, and perfect you.

for His glory,

DJ