so i'm taking this biblical exegesis class and one of the things we are learning to do is to look at scripture within context. so i was reading through the famous romans 8 passage and came across the often misquoted verse 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." and i can't tell you how many times i have heard people say in consolation,
"God works all things together for good."
that's not really what it says. in fact, that statement has a completely different meaning. i don't want to get into the argument of whether or not things happen outside of God's control, b/c that's an entirely different thought for an entirely different day.
i've been thinking lately that random things do happen. there are accidents. there are unexplained phenomenon, there are people who refuse to change. those things are not working together, it is God within those things that are working.
we're all going through the same drama. aren't we? i mean this life only has so many punches. and before we die we will go through all eventually get hit with those same punches. but it is God that is the common denominator, working in them for our good.
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
posted by Kelly @ 10:53:00 AM
4 Comments:
Kelly ~ WOW!! It is so cool how you can look something up on the internet & come across a blog like yours!! It is almost 3:00 a.m here, and a migraine headache is what woke me up.
I started surfing about "depression" and in the process, I came across your writings/blog. I sat here & read all of the things you have written I am just blown away at your writing...your honesty, your insight, your questions, your search for God & desire to grow in your relationship with Him. You are my kind of person!! You are very insightful and full of a ton of awesome questions that I believe so many of us have.
I feel like I have so much to say to you and I can't wait for your next post!! Let me just say this...I fully believe you are "right on track" just because you are SEEKING HIM. You go, girl!!
I was "saved" when I was 7 years old, then my parents fell away from church, so I was not "raised in church," but, I always considered myself a Christian. I just never grew in my relationship with Him after I accepted Jesus as my Lord & Savior. I spent (wasted) SO MUCH TIME, living a backslidden life (through highschool & college.) After I got married, I "rededicated" my life to Jesus and my faith started growing like crazy!!!
But, THEN....The Oklahoma City Bombing happened & I just sat in front of the T.V. for HOURS watching the footage of the horror!! I specifically remember a fireman carrying a limp, lifeless baby (I think the baby girl's name was Bailey??) Anyway, I just sat & cried and continually asked God, "How could You allow this to happen?"
My growing "faith" came to a SCREECHING HAULT. I quit going to church and turned away from God, because I just COULD NOT understand WHY He did not stop this tragedy from happening and allow so many innocent people to go through such pain...There was just no way that I could possibly understand...especially, the innocent babies & children who died that horrific day.
My relationship with God was like this for YEARS...I would really start growing in my relationship with Him, then a tragedy like the OCB or Columbine or 9/11 would happen & I would pull away from God, because I could not begin to understand all of the "WHY's?"
The typical things that people say, i.e., "Well, God had a REASON he allowed this to happen" etc...brought me ZERO COMFORT. (Even though these things were not happening DIRECTLY to ME!!) I still remember when the OCB happened, seeing sobbing parents on T.V. saying, "All I can say is that GOD and my faith are the ONLY THINGS helping me through this tragedy." (and, though I personally felt ANGER towards God & I turned away from Him, I must admit, I WANTED THAT KIND OF UNSHAKABLE FAITH, that these weeping, hurting people had!! I CRAVED that kind of unshakable faith, but had no idea how to get it...
Months would pass by after one of my bouts of "pulling away" from God & I JUST PLAIN MISSED HIM!! So, I would start seeking Him again. This roller coaster ride of my relationship with God went on for YEARS...
Then, one day, I read a passage from The Bible that I knew "I JUST HAD TO ACCEPT."
Deuteronomy 29:29 ~ "THE SECRET THINGS BELONG TO THE LORD OUR GOD, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."
HMMMM....."THE SECRET THINGS BELONG TO THE LORD...."
The commentary in my Bible about this passage basically said that God has revealed so much to us, but He has not revealed EVERYTHING. Possibly because there is NO WAY our finite minds could comprehend the infinite mind of God.
I made a decision that day. I just accepted that there is SO MUCH about this world that I will NEVER have the answers to, this side of Heaven...PERIOD.
This "acceptance" has helped me SO MUCH!! Like I said, I have so much I would like to say (as if I haven't already said enough LOL!!) but, I at least wanted to share with you MY biggest obstacle in my relationship with God for YEARS.
I do not currently have a blog, but I hope to hear your thoughts on this that I have shared with you. (Maybe you can post your thoughts on this on your next entry.) Maybe I will get a blog set up, too.
Thanks for taking time to read this!! God Bless You!!
Paige
Kelly ~
I just set up my own blog. If you want to check it out, it is called Paige (Forever Seeking Him)
CYA!
Paige
Paige--It's nice to meet you. Thank you for your kind words, I look forward to reading your thoughts as well. Thanks for stopping by!
Kelly
Thanks for this insight. I actually googled the scripture "God makes everything beautiful in his time." and your blog came up. I was sending something to an excoworker who was just let go from the agency after 20yrs of service, because the money was needed to open two entry level positions. She was devestated and confuses as were many of us who are still here. She has been here the longest only being followed by a not even near second with the CEO having been here for five years (his is the next longest tenure). I feel her so heavily in my heart, but at the same time, I know that God has a better plan in store for her. His love is not the kind that forgets or fails. Thanks for re-enforcing what my faith believes and I look forward to reading your blog more often.
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