Held

I've been hearing the song, “Held” by Natalie Grant, a lot lately and it's spurred on some thoughts about suffering and hardship in this life. To be honest, I cannot make it through this song without tearing up, it's difficult to hear. Why? Well, I can identify with the line, “Who told us we'd be rescued? What has changed and why should we be safe from nightmares? We're asking why this happens to us, who have died to live. It's unfair.” The very same thoughts have come across my mind a time or ten. Why do bad things happen to “good” people? Why does a couple who has struggled for years to have a child, lose the only one they were ever able to conceive? Why does a pastor who loves the Lord greatly and serves Him with his whole heart, suddenly and unexpectedly lose his wife? What about the wife who was nothing but faithful to her husband, only to find out that after 22 years of marriage, he has been living another life? Why do obstacles come up again and again and interfere with progress? What is the point of set-backs? Why failure? When will this all stop? Why would God all this stuff to happen to His people? To His children? Now, I'm going to be bold here for a moment. Bear with me. I mean no harm, but who BETTER for the “bad stuff” of this world to happen to than those who trust the Lord and have made Him their hope and confidence? Who BETTER to deal with life's tragedies than those who have a Rock to cling to and an Anchor to hold them firm and secure in the midst of a storm? The truth is, “bad stuff” happens. It doesn't matter who you are, what you do, who you know, or even if you are a believer or not. No one is exempt from tragedy. That is a fact. Now, I am not telling you this so you can live a life of fear, wondering when the next “bad thing” is happening, and refusing even to leave the house. No. Absolutely not. God is NOT a God of fear, but instead, God is POWER, LOVE, GRACE, MERCY, COMPASSION and He wants all of us to live by his power, love, grace, mercy, and compassion (to mention a few). Does it mean that God no longer loves us or is punishing us when bad things happen to us? NO! A thousand times, NO! God is the same loving God he always is. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is unchangeable and immoveable. He is unshakeable. I do not believe that God causes bad things to happen to us, or that he is looking down upon us, like ants, with a giant magnifying glass in the hot sun, waiting to watch us squirm when things get hot. NO! NO! NO! God is LOVE! His love for each and every one of us is immeasurable. I can't even tell you how much I just want to tell everyone I run into how much they are loved. I want people to know that more than anything! What happens to you in your life, is not a reflection of how valuable you are. Your value and your worth have nothing to do with what has happened to you, or who you are, where you work, where you studied, or even what you look like. It has everything to do with WHOSE you are! God has created each and every one of you with a plan and a purpose in mind. He lovingly wrote your story before you were even born. Sure, bad things have happened to you, and I'm not trying to lessen what has happened, but that DOES NOT lessen YOUR value. That DOES NOT make you worthless. Now, some of you may think I have just gone off in a tangent, but again, bear with me. I just can't feel good about saying, “Lord, why did this stuff happen to me? I believe in you, I trust in you and all this still happened? It's not fair! I know you love me, but why did this happen to me?” I can't say this. I just can't. I have thought it before, and I have said it at different points in my life, but not anymore. Do you know why? Saying all of that, in my opinion, is wishing that it had happened to someone else. In particular someone who does not know the Lord, or someone who does not know just how valuable they are. Someone who I deem as “unworthy of good things” because of choices they have made in their lives. Someone that I am better than. There. I said it. Pride rears it's ugly head and judgment pours out. Doesn't that make you think? I cannot wish bad things on anyone, let alone those who don't recognize God in their lives. I just can't. It breaks my heart too much to see people suffer, to see all the “bad things” that happen in this life. It makes me feel like there is nothing I can do, but wait, isn't there? Jesus refers to us as the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. What does that mean? Well, that means that God in us shines brightly for all to see, if we let Him. It means that people will be drawn to us. It means that we can shed some light on this dark and dying world. Bad things happen to everyone; those who's lights are bright, and those who can't find the matches. For those of us who do recognize God in our lives; hardship, troubles, calamities, tragedies, are an opportunity for our lights to shine even brighter than before. It's an opportunity to let others see that Christ dwells within us. It's an opportunity for God to work in someone's life, through our mess. It's an opportunity for God to draw someone to him through his love and grace and mercy. It's an opportunity for someone to question us as to where our hope and confidence come from. It's an opportunity for them to seek out our ROCK and grab a hold of our ANCHOR. Bad things happen. God is always good, no matter what happens. God is always loving, no matter what happens. God is constantly trying to draw each and every one of us into a personal relationship with him. He wants us to see that we are loved and cherished and valuable and that all those things have nothing to do with the amount of bad stuff in our lives. They have everything to do with WHO HE IS. We have a choice when bad things happen. We can hide our light, and become angry, bitter, and unforgiving, OR we can let our light shine before all men and lead someone home. What will you choose?