Many of ya'll have asked me essentially this....

Why does God allow bad things to happen in my life?

The bible says "His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts aren't our thoughts." Yet He is wiser than any of our foolishness. God loves us so much that yes, He does hurt when we hurt  and understands our pain, but He loves us enough to allow us to go through some really tough stuff because He has a purpose in it. He knows that many times we don't see the fullness of that purpose unless we struggle. Unless we go through the uncomfortable.

He doesn't like to see us suffer but sometimes we need a little suffering to see the big picture and help us to grow in Him. He provides a way of escape for us though, He provides the comfort we need to make it through the tough places. I encourage you to read Psalm 18. It is an awesome chapter in the bible. It starts out with this "The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled aroun d me; the snares of death confronted me." Have you ever felt that way? That your life was being taken from you. That the problems you faced were so horrible and huge that you just were in complete despair. And when we are in despair we ask God alot of "Why?" questions. Well continuing on in Psalm 18, verse 6, it says "In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into His ears." The question shouldn't be "Why is all this trouble happening to me? Why do you let bad things happen?" but rather "What do you want me to learn through this circumstance in my life? And how can I come through this with a different outlook on my life?"

The whole chapter of Psalm 18 comes from the experience of David in the bible and how Saul (the king) was chasing Him and out to kill David. David could have asked the "Why?" question but He used His bad experience to turn around and get the big picture on the situation. Yes, I'm sure he was scared, I'm sure He was desperate, I'm sure He was confused at why God allowed Him to be in this place at this time....but He went back to what He knew to be true of God and says in verse 32..."It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect....He enables me to stand on the heights.....You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not turn." God pushes us through trials and hard times to make us grow. To make us depend on Him. That's "Why?" as we would say He allows bad things to happen. He isn't a malicious God who is out to get us at every turn but He is a God of tremendous love and He knows what we need at any given time, even if it hurts! So next time you are struggling with something big in your life instead of asking God "Why is this happening?", ask Him..."What are you trying to teach me?" It's a hard thing to ask but the answer might just knock your socks off.

There is a song by Bebo Norman that I would love to share the lyrics with you...it talks about this very thing....It talks from the point of veiw of a nail being made, the same nail that was used to hold Jesus to the cross. That nail discovered His purpose but He has to wait on the Lord to figure out what that was. He had to go through the pain of being molded and in the end His purpose was so great.

The Hammer Holds

A shapeless piece of steel; that's all I claim to be. This hammer pounds to give me form; this flame it melts my dreams. I glow with fire and fury as I'm twisted like a vine. My final shape, my final form I'm sure I'm bound to find.

So dream a little dream for me in hopes that I'll remain. And cry a little cry for me that I can bare the pain. And hurt a little hurt for me; my future is untold. But my dreams are not the issue here for Thee the hammer holds.

And the water, it cools me gray, and the hurt subdued somehow. I have my shape, this sharpened point; what is my purpose now? And the question, it still remains; What am I to be? Perhaps some perfect piece of art, displayed for all to see.

Well the hammer pounds again, but flames I do not feel. This force that drives me helplessly through flesh and wood reveals a burn that burns much deeper; it's more than I can stand. The reason for my life was to take the life of a guiltless man.

So dream a little dream for me in hopes that I'll remain. And cry a little cry for me that I can bear the pain. And hurt a little hurt for me; my future is so bold. But my dreams are not the issue here, for Thee the hammer holds. This task before may seem unclear but this my Maker holds.

If you have any questions about this blog, please feel free to comment here or email me at speakdontbleed@yahoo.com.

Hey all as I was reading the devo back I realized that I said that the "nail held Jesus to the cross" but I need to reword that because Jesus' love for you and me held him on the cross not anything else but that. I just wanted to make that destinction! :)