I've had more than a few people say to me..."not you, cancer shouldn't hit you, you're too valuable, too good a person...it's not right, it's not fair"! The fundamental question they are raising is why do bad things happen to good people? There are more than a few books written on this topic..my cousin Marcia just highly recommended "The Shack" to me yesterday. And lo and behold, it is the topic of my morning devotion, so eloquently said, that I thought I would bring you these words as it is what I truly believe and have experienced in my own life! This is the Jan 11th excerpt from Streams in The Desert, a collection of spiritual inspirations that helped sustain Mrs. Charles Cowan, as she missioned in Japan and China and nursed her dying husband for six years.
"Store up comfort. This was the prophet's mission. The world is full of comfortless hearts, and ere thou are sufficient for this lofty ministry, thou must be trained. And thy training is costly in the extreme; for, to render it perfect, thou too must pass through the same afflictions as are wringing countless hearts of tears and blood. Thus thy own life becomes the hospital ward where thou art taught the divine art of comfort. Thou art wounded, that in the binding up of thy wounds by the Great Physician, thou mayest learn how to render first aid to the wounded everywhere. Dost thou wonder why thou art passing through some special sorrow? Wait till ten years are passed, and thou wilt find many others afflicted as thou art. Thou wilt tell them how thou hast suffered and hast been comforted; then as the tale is unfolded, and the anodynes applied which once thy God wrapped around thee, in the eager look, and the gleam of hope that shall chase the shadow of despair across the soul, thou shalt know why thou wast afflicted, and bless God for the discipline that stored thy life with such a fund of experience and helpfulness."
In short, "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters". (quote from Dr. Jowett)!
May you be comforted or be a comforter to someone today!
Very good devotional....it is hard sometimes to explain why our loving Father would allow bad things to happen to good people....it is something I plan on talking with Him at length on when the time alots...ie when I get to be with Him and can fully understand all the whys...until then we just pray and trust He knows us and is taking care of us...faith is what it is called. As for a good read...drats I should have included The Shack to Ms. Brooke!!! It is a fantastic read, supposed to be fiction, but in my opinion I think it is more of an account of someone's encounter with God.....some of the stuff in there is definately God inspired...so Ms. Brooke....try picking up a copy of The Shack and a box of tissues....yep it is that good!!!
ReplyDeleteJiles,
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear your comments after reading The Shack. I'm one of the few people who struggled getting through The Shack. I just finished it, and now I'm going to re-read it. I agree with your friend Bert though. Even though they say the book is fiction, I have to wonder if it is more of an account of someone's encounter with God. I loved the part where God is answering the 'whys'. It definitly is an interesting book.
Sorry I'm not closer to help out with things, but know that you, your family, and friends are in my heart as I lift you all up in prayer each day.
TFWC love,
Gracia