For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies … we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
It seems that there are certain verses in the Bible that are hard to swallow. At times, the difference between what I feel God has promised me in his word, and the reality of my existence, confuses me. Let me point out a few examples:
- Romans 6:22 - But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
- Matthew 7:7 - “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
- John 16:24b – “Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 - And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need”
- Malachi 3:10 - Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
- James 5:15 - Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well.
Don’t get me wrong – I know that God is able, and that his power is very present. It’s just that sometimes I look around at my friends, many of whom are on anti-depressants, and most of which are struggling with debt, sickness and sin (or all three), and I start to wonder. There seem to be a lot of confused people walking around wishing they could find the packing of the Gospel they bought to see if they read the contents correctly. “It’s perplexing” says a relative, when pondering why it looks like God hasn’t come through for them financially – even though they have consistently sacrificed and put him first. Another friend wonders why he is still single, approaching 40, despite all of his prayers for a wife.
And yet it’s funny how you can look around during a church service and find people singing God’s praises with such certainty, such faith. There have been times when I’ve been unable to sing the lines to the song because I’m so overwhelmed by the gap between premise and reality.
I read that in Hebrews 11:6 it says “It is impossible to please God without faith … anyone who wants to come to him must believe … that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” – and I feel like arguing with him over the fact that I feel ‘significantly under-rewarded’ – perhaps he’d like to lower the bar just a little?
You get the picture.
Often I find myself clinging on to the words of Philip Yancey (a man who has experienced much more doubt than me) – “It is on the dry bones of doubt that the flesh of life grows” (or something to that effect, the book is packed away). At least I’m willing to believe – in the words of the father in Mark 9:24; “I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.”
I’m hoping here to be able to share some light that God has been shining on my darkness recently. Not enough light for me to be able to declare I have the answer, but enough light to believe that the fuller picture does actually exist. And I’m happy with that.
I have come to find evidence in the Scriptures for three major themes: That God is bigger than me, that God has different priorities to me, and that our suffering is actually normal.
1. God is bigger than me
Let’s start with the usual big 3 scriptures on this topic:
| Romans 8:28 | And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. |
| Isaiah 55:9 | For just as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts. |
| 1 Corinthians 13:12 | Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. |
Long story short, we are not God. We’re not really qualified to judge him. While it’s not exactly encouraging, it might be a good idea to reflect on the words of the Prophet Isaiah (29:16):
How foolish can you be?
He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!
Should the created thing say of the one who made it,
“He didn’t make me”?
Does a jar ever say,
“The potter who made me is stupid”?
Ultimately, things will probably not make sense until we get to have a long chat with God in the light of eternity. Really looking forward to that conversation.
2. God’s priorities are bigger than mine
As a follow on from number 1, it would seem that the things I want (more money, designer clothing, a hot/intelligent/funny/caring/loving wife) are not exactly at the top of God’s make-over list for me. God (again, to quote Yancey) wants us to grow up into Adulthood, to a place where we do not need to be propped up by manna and miracle water every day. He is after endurance: Dear brothers and sisters, whenever troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy… and when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
I guess it’s sort of like someone going on a make-over TV show concerned about a scar on their thigh when they’re 50kg overweight. The professional knows what really needs to be stripped away and added on.
3. Suffering is not unusual in our age
The most recent revelation God’s given me is that that suffering in our age is – to a certain extent – normal. Now, when I say ‘normal’, I don’t mean ‘intentional’, the way it’s ‘meant to be’, or even ‘expected’. I just mean that Scripture warns us that this life – regardless of how “rich and satisfying” (John 10:10) it can be – is not the same as participating in a child’s birthday party where there’s abundant fairy bread and you get to have the cake all to yourself.
And it’s late, so I’m going to leave that part of the blog until tomorrow night.
