"So if you are big and you are God, why do bad things happen?" She asked "Do you blame me for all of life's trouble?" God replied "Maybe." She answered "I made a perfect world, man chose to sin, and you are still seeing the pain from that bad choice." He answered "Why don't' you stop us from making mistakes if you know we are capable of them?" She probed "I gave you the choice to choose to obey because you love me, not because I make you" "I could make you obey, but I chose to let you have the choice." "How would you like it if the only reason someone likes you is because they were forced, what kind of relationship would that be?" He asked "But this world, it is so hard and I have so much pain, couldn't you have intervened?" she asked sadly "I have intervened. I have already beat death, sin and evil when I died on the cross. I have ransomed you from this world. I cry when you cry, I look forward to the day that I will rescue you from all of this pain, one day there 'will be no tears'." He said gently and then continued to say, "I long to help you live in this world this life is hard without Me." "Because when sin entered the world so did evil and you see the results of sin and evil daily." "But it is My desire to 'shelter you in My wings' and help you find rest and comfort, for My 'love never fails'." 1 Cor. 13:8

One of the most common reasons the young ladies who come to me for counsel choose to reject God is that they blame all of life's pain on Him. This is the great deception. This is Satan's desire that God gets blamed for all of the pain and hurt that Satan brings on people. God desires to love and protect, Satan's desire and plan is to destroy.

So why do people blame God? It is easier to blame God when life is hard instead of realizing that evil exists and or facing their actions. People get so angry with God instead of getting angry at sin and evil. Isn't that anger displaced? God says that we are supposed to hate evil and love righteousness. But often people choose to live the way that they want to and blame God when it doesn't work out the way they wanted things to. However, others live close to God and hard life circumstances still visit them.

Those people that minister to me the most in life are those that have faced horrific grief and pain and yet they adore Jesus. When my brother, Jon Mark, shattered his spleen as he caught a catch in the outfield and nearly lost his life, I wondered what God was doing. The next year when he broke his jaw and had to have his mouth sewn shut for six weeks I wondered what God was doing. Intense pain, life threatening events and where was God? Did he rescue Jon Mark from death and why did he even let him face pain at all? My sister was attacked at a park one sunny afternoon while exercising, her nightmares still haunt her. (To read her story look up www.alwaysmovingon.com) Why did she have to be a victim? Yet did God say, "I have had enough and rescue her from the clutches of her attacker?" Watching other people hurt is much more difficult that hurting myself. So somewhere in me I wonder if God aches more than we do when we suffer, because He longs for the day He will rescue us forever.

Jesus takes us by the hand and walks with us through our pain and hurt to that place of healing. I think God cries when other people mistreat you. Jesus is counting down the days until He can ride the clouds and come rescue those who have given their lives to Him. God knows how hard this life is, He knows we need Him in a world full of injustice and pain. And He wants to walk through this life with us step by step helping us live the life that He has planned for us.

We can all take great hope in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose." This is our hope that in our pain God has a bigger plan and He is going to turn all the hurt into something amazing for His glory. Thus, gifting us with the blessing of living in His glory. Abi, my sister, started a foundation to help other victims and is using her story to change the world. Jon Mark, my brother, has an amazing story of healing that when he shares this story people are amazed by his positive outlook and fighter spirit. He is a people magnet. And you, also can have hope that your story will change your world. God will wrap your pain in the healing power of Jesus Christ and transform it into something beautiful that blesses you and others.

The most important choice is to choose to turn to God instead of away from God in your heartache.

Answer

• 1. What do you blame God for?
• 2. What do you blame God for that is really someone else's bad decision or just pure evil in this world?
• 3. What do you think about Ephesians 6:10-18?

Prayer-In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I renounce the lies I have believed about God. (Name them.) I blamed you, God, for trying to destroy my life, instead of recognizing the enemy's plan to destroy me. In the name of Jesus, protect me from all harm and evil and forgive me for rejecting you, because I thought you rejected me. Please show me how to see You more clearly and understand who You are. I bind Satan and all harm and evil away from myself and my family. In Jesus name