for thought and meditation

[rl69]

Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."

—Acts 16:25

I think the worst thing that ever happened in history, the greatest travesty, the greatest injustice, was when Jesus Christ Himself was crucified. What could have been worse than that? What could have been worse than for God the Father to look down from Heaven and see His Son who He loved with all His heart suffering and dying for the sins of the world? How could God allow that? It was so awful.

Yet the Bible says, “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him” (Isaiah 53:10). Does this mean God was pleased in watching His Son suffer? Absolutely not. But God the Father was pleased in knowing this suffering would produce something wonderful called salvation for you and for me. As awful as it was, it accomplished God’s purpose. Out of the greatest bad came the greatest good. That is how God showed His love for us. As John tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

In the same way, when hardship comes and you are still praising the Lord, that blows the mind of the nonbeliever. Remember the story of Paul and Silas when they were thrown into prison for preaching the gospel? We read in Acts that “at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (16:25).

Maybe you are going through a hard time right now. Maybe you’re asking, “Why, God?”

God has a purpose. He has allowed it. God has either done it or He has allowed it. Deal with it the best that you can and seek to bring Him glory. That is a powerful testimony to a world that doesn’t know God.

[USMC87]

Amen, This is a very good lesson for all of us to heed to.

[buckwheatpaul]

Our problems are never God's doing...it is the fallen angel, the devil. He cries when we suffer and fail yet when we ask for help and guidance He listens. Thanks for the lesson....Paul

[Boaz]

Thank you rl69 . You give me something to think about every day .

[Blackwater]

Excellent post! We self-possessed humans always seem to want what we want, and nothing else will please us. However, sometimes, God gives us what we NEED instead! He loves us enough to give us what He knows we NEED, even though we ask for something else, that at least sometimes, might not be so good for us after all. But we want it so, that sometimes, we can't see anything else but our wants. That's generally when folks cry out "Why haven't you answered my prayer???!!!" In reality, He did. He just said "No," to what you asked for, and sent you what you NEED instead. It's how God works when we get overly demanding and want things that are not good for us.

He sees the end of giving us all we want, and it's NOT good! We see only what we WANT. His way is best in the long run, always!