Was It Really Meant To Be?
Today I feel like just rambling and I hope it makes sense to some of you. I had a very close friend die for apparently no reason a few weeks ago, leaving behind his recent bride and a nine-year old son, and some of the comments I've heard from friends, family, and even his pastor just make me nuts. I heard all the typical clichés and phrases like "It was his time", "God's in control", "God had a reason for this", "It was just God's plan", and so on. To my ears, it sounded like they were in a sense blaming God, when in my own mind I was thinking, "This is the work of the Devil."
Yes, of course, our heavenly Father could have prevented this death, but I really don't believe His intention for giving him life in the first place was for him to die in this way and to cause this massive grief to the many who loved him. Ever since the fall of man in Genesis, it has been Satan and his influences that have caused all the death and suffering mankind has witnessed for these thousands of years. When people claim calamity and death is God's plan or God's will, I believe that their attitude is highly insulting to the One Who has created, loved, suffered and even died Himself for us. God is at war with Satan and his legions of demons, and as a result we see all around us the casualties and collateral damage of this war. Rather than claiming all this to be "God's will", we should instead be looking forward to the fulfillment of God's precious promises that all of this carnage will one day be over, and that all of us who've placed our trust in Him will one day enjoy our resurrection with all the saints and participate in an eternal kingdom where sin, sickness, death and pain will never touch us again.
When Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain and Abel in Genesis 4, do people really believe it was God's plan for Cain to later slay Abel in a fit of jealousy? Did God create Abel just to have him murdered by his older brother on a specific day and time? Sadly, many Christians do believe it, even though the Lord seemed shocked when it occurred. If you look at the Bible account, God plainly didn't offer Cain any comfort or excuses by telling him "Don't worry, this is all part of my wonderful plan for you boys." No, the Lord rebuked Cain and put a curse on him for doing such a thing. God amazingly respects the free will he created us with, and attempts to teach us how to use it wisely, but He more often than not allows us do as we please.
I guess what I'm trying to say is simply that when we lose a loved one to some horrible accident or disease, or a child is molested, or a sister is raped, or if someone simply slips on a banana peel and breaks his neck and spends the rest of his life in a wheelchair, we should not think that this was God's plan from before the foundation of the world. Jesus asks us to pray that God's will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. This makes no sense if everything that happens around us is already "God's will". Do you follow what I'm saying? In Romans 8 Paul states that God works together all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. This does not mean, however, that He firsts causes all the bad things to happen to us so that He can later turn them into something good. God simply helps us get the most good out of any calamities that may come our way. Anyway, that's my thought for today, and I welcome any comments...
-nOFuTuRe
I have lost so many loved ones over the years. I would hate to think my God, who loves me, made this happen. I too believe that God's Will is to bless us, and Satan works tirelessly to take away our blessings. For whatever the reason a young person dies, our only peace is knowing where they are. Grief will come strong and hard. Jesus felt grief, and so will we. I believe God does not bring pain, but He brings us through it. I hope I never wake up thinking God might hurt me today! Why would He hurt me ,when His Purpose is to save me? God Bless, Kathy
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