In my book, Moose Ridge: Ending to Beginning, the main character, Jazmine, asks Jason the following question: “Jason, if your god is so loving, why did you and Sadie — two people who have such a great faith — have to endure such tragedies in your lives? All the heartache and pain. How can that be?” Or some might word it as: Why do bad things happen to good people? This is a question many have asked over the years and what many in the world use to justify why they’re not accepting His existence. How can a loving God allow so much pain?
Jason shares Psalms 34:17-19 with her. ‘The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’
Here, as in many other verses in the Bible, we’re told while on Earth, the Christian life will not be perfect. There will be heartache. There will be tragedy, and there will be problems. This is because while Adam and Eve lived in the perfect paradise of the Garden, Adam made a choice to ignore the command of God, and thus they were banished from the Garden into an imperfect world.
But while God did banish them and all of humanity, the scriptures also tell us that before this, He provided a pathway back to Him through his Son, even before the world began. 2 Timothy 1:9. So while those of us who accept this path and Christ as our Savior are the ‘righteous’ mentioned in the Psalms, we still exist in an imperfect world and must endure the afflictions that are here. But we’re also promised that He will deliver us out of these afflictions. Yes, bad things happen to God’s people, just as they do to others in this world, but we can have faith that God is with us through these bad times, and He is faithful to bring us through them.
As Jason tells Jazmine, he doesn’t have a great faith in God, but faith in a great God. So, while we must endure the afflictions of this world, we can have faith that our God is great and strong and will be with us and bring us through them.
By extension, this also allows us to be there for others as they face these same afflictions. To provide support, understanding, and guidance as God uses us to help deliver them out of their troubles.
There’s another spot where Jason’s grandmother shares some words my grandmother shared with me when I was young. These words remind me of God’s promise. I remember them coming to mind as I stood over the isolette in Nebraska Medicine’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit where my less than day old son laid after being told he would probably not live through the night. ‘It’s okay. God’s in charge.’
While we may not understand the why and what for, we can know it will be okay, as God is with us. He hears our cries and, as He promises, will deliver us out of all our troubles.
All beginnings have endings, but some endings bring beginnings.
Everything is perfect as New Yorker Jazmine arrives from Boston. The ride through the Wyoming countryside, and arriving at the depressing house, threatens to overcome her, but she perseveres. She’s here with her soul-mate who she put through medical school. Their plan is working just as she imagined it. She’ll finally have the happiness she always dreamed about.
Then she’s handed the letter.
Craig Hastings – Born and raised in Muncie, IN, Craig is about as typical middle-America as they come. His 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, followed by another 15 as a DoD contractor, allowed him to live in several places in the States and overseas. After living over 20 years in Germany and the UK—Craig hates moving—he and his wife settled in Oklahoma City where their 3 miniature Dachshunds allow Craig and his wife to live with them. He is a Deacon in their local church and teaches Adult Bible Studies. He continues working for a major computer company under contract with a major airline manufacturer, which keeps him busy during the weekdays. Leaving his evenings for his writing. Oh, and his major job of taking care of the pups.