by Joshua Ruoff
One of the most common arguments that we hear from those that do not believe in God is: “Why would an all-loving God allow bad things to happen?”
While this line of thinking has many flaws and misconceptions about who God is, one of those flaws is: God doesn’t promise us that everything will be “sunshine and rainbows” all the time, but he does ask us to trust him wholeheartedly.
The Book of Proverbs tells us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (3:5).
Things happen in this life and we will never be able to understand why, but understanding and explaining the why is not our place. Our place as creations made in the image and likeness of God is to trust him as our all-loving and knowing Father.
As I write this on Sept. 12, I am still reflecting on the 22nd anniversary of the terrible events of Sept. 11, 2001. While I am on the younger side of those that will remember the events of that day, I, like many of you, will never forget where I was when I found out.
As I reflect on that day 22 years later, my mind keeps going back to one thing: our trust and resolve that we would move forward as a country with the help of almighty God.
In our world today, we seemed to have lost that trust and dependence on God. We live in a culture that teaches dependence on self or independence, as Hermey the elf would say.
We are told to run our lives and fix our problems our way because even if “our way” is morally wrong, it is not polite to accuse someone of being wrong. This way of thinking has caused our culture to turn their backs on God when we should be turning toward him.
We need the forgiveness, love and guidance of the Father who knows exactly what is needed for each of us to experience true, complete fulfillment.
I encourage you this month to make an extra effort to turn to the Father, especially when things get difficult and you don’t seem to understand. Don’t ask him: “Why?” Ask him for the strength and wisdom to trust him and, ask him to be with you to comfort you through whatever desert or storm you are experiencing.
He knows whatever struggle or pain you are experiencing. He experienced it himself as he hung on the cross dying for you. All he asks is for you to turn to him and say Jesus I trust in you, Jesus I trust in you. JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
