It seems that everyday either I have a hurt or I talk to someone who does. I’m sure it’s the same for you. That’s ministry!
Here’s an excerpt from my book Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke that helps us think about emotional pain and relying on God’s lovingkindness…
Do you trust that God has always been good to you? Are you confident that his love for you is unfailing?
Here’s a litmus test: Look back over your personal history and consider times you were mistreated or experienced hardship… Can you see God caring for you despite your circumstances to the contrary? Can you say honestly and gratefully, “The Lord has been good to me!”?
Or try this test: How do you react when you see or hear about a child starving in Africa or a drunk driver killing a teenager? Do you trust that God genuinely and immediately cares for the one in peril? The one who died? The loved ones who are grieving?
This issue causes problems for many of us and the people we care for.
Why does a good and powerful God allow innocent people to suffer?
The Bible wrestles with the question of innocent people suffering, especially in the psalms. In all instances God doesn’t answer our why question directly, not even when Jesus borrows the words of David from Psalm 22:1 and cries out, while being tortured to death on the cross: “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
God’s Answer to Our Suffering
Jesus on the cross is God’s response to the pain and injustice that we suffer from. His shed blood is our source of comfort, forgiveness, and daily sustenance. His life sacrificed is our opportunity for divine living in the spiritual Promise Land.
On the cross Jesus knew the immediate spiritual reality of God’s loving presence and purposes. Paul learned to respond to hard times the same way:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Jesus’ Hand of Grace
Right now Christ, our crucified and risen Lord and Savior, our eternal King, is actually in our midst with his angels! We may not connect with him, we may not even have a thought about him, but, nonetheless, always he is literally present in Spirit and is ready to care for us and help us — if only we will reach out for his hand of grace.
If you train yourself to habitually rely on Jesus’ unseen hand you’ll be blessed! Then when a painful circumstance hits you’ll find yourself reaching to your loving Lord!
Light and Easy!
It’s hard to believe in the midst of your hurts and stress but Jesus truly has a light and easy yoke for you and the people you minister (Matthew 11:28). Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke draws you into this life of peace and joy with stories, Scriptures, prayers, and soul talk questions.
