I hope you have a lovely Christmas season. But more than that, I hope you have hope in Jesus Christ.
I recently went through a very challenging time. What transpired was pain, suffering, abundant hope, peace, and comfort. Perhaps it will be one of my upcoming blogs, but this message trumps my experience right now.
If you have experienced loss, pain, or suffering and it has led you to be angry with God, I hope you will read the quotes below prayerfully. Then, I hope you will cry out to God in your anger.
I know I have heard the question "Why does God allow suffering and pain?" I realize it is a reason many have rejected God and turned from His offer of salvation. However, I have always had a graciousness toward the Lord in this matter. I always wanted to have an answer when I was asked this perplexing question, but I feel Chip Ingram with the help of the words of C.S. Lewis to answer this question very clearly in the podcast. If you have time, please listen to this message. One of the better ones I have heard on this topic.
Below are quotes from Chip Ingram from Living on the Edge. His message Jesus Unfiltered - Believe - Jesus - Offers Hope to the Hopeless, Part 2.
His main point: There is hope for the hopeless.
Scripture reference:
John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."
Quotes from the message:
"You would rather be sick in your sin. You would rather have the consequences of your sin because you like it. Because you are comfortable in it."
"Ask for help, have mercy on me, and cleanse me. He wants to say yes. He wants to heal us."
"There comes a day when we will be judged. Today is the day if you hear His voice. To say maybe or later is a no. He wants us to say yes and respond to the light."
"Why does suffering/pain exist if God is a good God?"
Chip quotes CS Lewis in Shadowland with all of these quotes below:
"God creates us free. Free to be selfish."
"But God adds a mechanism that will penetrate our selfishness and wake us up to the presence of others in the world. That mechanism is called suffering."
"Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
"Why pain? Why can't He wake us more gently with violins or laughter? Because the dream from which we must be awakened is the dream that all is well. All is not well. If you do not have a relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ, you are spiritually in a hopeless situation and you need a savior. If you are self-sufficient, you have no need of God. If you do not seek him, you will not find him. The suffering in the world is not the failure of God for us it is his action."
Here is the link to this podcast. These quotes start around the 19-minute mark and on. Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram Daily Podcast: Jesus Unfiltered - Believe - Jesus - Offers Hope to the Hopeless, Part 2 on Apple Podcasts
