In the weeks that followed the wedding, my new husband and I were attempting to figure out how we were going to keep Christ our focus in our marriage. Ideas of HOW we pray together, read his word together, and talk about Him together was confusing us. It wasn't until a tragic event happened to our close friends that we began to learn HOW to praise him in our marriage.
It happened one night during the week, the news of our friends' family members passing away suddenly, was shared with us. My initial reaction was, WHY would God allow such a humble, God seeking family to suffer THIS kind of loss? In a split second, my mind answered that question with, God didn't DO this. John 10:10 "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full." We began praying constantly for this family, pouring our hearts out to them in loving support. We were learning how to pray together through our friends' pain and suffering. Through this prayer one morning, I had a revelation about God, our Father.
When both of my children were younger, I can remember them trying to take their first steps. How encouraging I tried to be and how difficult it was to watch them tumble down every time they tried to walk. When my son was around 9 months old (he was walking by this point) he began to climb. He was NOT afraid of heights like I was, nor was he afraid to fall. Every time he attempted to climb on the table, the bed, climb OUT of his bed, etc., my reaction was always to be right there so he wouldn't get hurt. It wasn't until he took a fall out of his crib early one morning that he LEARNED he probably shouldn't climb out. He also learned that when he was hurting, mom was right there to help. It wasn't horrible, and he was fine, however, he wasn't free from a few bumps and bruises.
Can't we all relate? We've all been hurt, with the bumps and bruises to prove it. I'm the type of person, and I'm certain my parents can attest to this, that can NOT learn from what I'm told, but through my own experience good or bad. Every decision we make has a consequence to it, good or bad. I've heard it said, Life doesn't come with an instruction manual, but it DOES.... the Holy Bible. God's word is his plan for us. How we are supposed to love; How we are supposed to live; How we are supposed to cling to Him.
The book of Job is one of my favorite stories to read, especially in times of trying to understand the age old question, "WHY?" God doesn't promise a life free from pain, or struggle, or hardship, or tragedy. What He does promise is a life full of Love...perfect unending Love. The book of Job doesn't answer the question why. The truth is, we live in a fallen world, and because of this fallen world, we know pain, sorrow, disappointment and struggle. In a conversation Job had with God, God ultimately tells Job that He knows everything. Nothing is a surprise to Him. (Job 38:4-5 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched the surveying line?") Job realizes that God knows all and praises Him ( Job 42:2 "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.") and God returns TEN fold (10 to the 10th power) all that was taken from Job. (Job 42:12 So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning...)
Pain is always difficult, however, when we lean on Christ to carry us through our pain, it leads to a deeper relationship with Him. Our friends had no idea of the suffering they would endure at the tragic loss of their family members. Through their pain and suffering, they experienced God's power and love. Through their suffering, my new husband and myself, learned how to pray together and how to draw nearer to Him. A result I'm certain Satan wasn't aware of.
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