Adversity Reed 1

Why does God allow pain? ---“The word of God is brutally honest about the reality of life. Sometimes in the process of growing up in God’s family, we feel the sting of adversity. It doesn’t feel good, and we would not really desire it. But God has a purpose in our pain that we may not see or understand in the present. We can trust that our pain is no secret to Him. Everything that happens to us will become a platform for the glory of Him who” “ ….works all things according to the plan of His will….” (Ephesians 1:11). “ God uses problems in our lives to drive us to Him as our only hope, our only source of dependence.” ----These are quotes from the book “Answers to Questions about Adversity” -- by David Jeremiah, and of course the Bible. I have only started reading his book and I am already benefiting from his wisdom from God. Over the next few weeks I want to share bits and pieces that speak to me with you all. ----Now here is some of my own thoughts---I would be surprised to hear about someone who walks through their days looking around every corner for adversity. I would think they would need to seek some counsel for that kind of behavior. But on the other hand there are people out there that go through their days with the thinking that it could never happen to them. I don’t think that is healthy either. ---We all need to have a healthy respect for life and the gift that it is. We need to also remember that God does allow stuff to happen. It is tempting to throw your hands up in the air and ask God “why” (and I’ve done it) when something comes along that is painful, and that is okay as long as you don’t curse Him as you are doing it. But nothing that happens to us is a surprise to Him. He has all of our days planned out and we only have to seek after His heart for them to be revealed to us. If it is not your desire to seek Him in life you are most assuredly missing out on the best there is for your life. In this reading I didn’t really learn anything new because I was already holding onto His promise that “He works all things according to His plans….”, and I know that His plans are far better then anything I could think up. I have yet to understand how He is working, but I can see bits and pieces of God in the way Reed has been behaving lately. He has been our sweet active Reed for the most part, he just can’t walk, but in his eyes and actions I see peace, love, and acceptance of what life is giving him. Yes he is only 2, but I see Jesus when he reminds me to fold my hands and pray, when he wants me to help him stand so he can dance to Jesus loves the little children and of course sings Jesus Loves Me. ----What the natural world sees and says (Doctors, internet, etc.) in our Reeds case does not look good for his future, but when we put our hope and total dependence in our Heavenly Father, the supernatural is on our side, and isn’t God’ supernatural power something that all of us; whether out loud or quietly hope will step in and here our cry for help? I am driven to Him everyday of my life, even when things are peaceful in life, but when those days of adversity come, I am so glad I have my relationship with my Savior to catch me when life knocks me down.