October 21, 2023
Dear Friend,
Thank you for taking the time to read and learn with me. I am glad you are here!
Today, we are talking about suffering and why it exists. Scripture has much to say about allowing our trials to strengthen us in faith and endurance. But, if God knew about sin and suffering, why did He let it come into existence? Wasn’t there an easier way?
The Genesis Study is about connecting real-life evidence of the good work God began (Genesis), accomplished through Jesus (Gospel), and is going to make permanent (Revelation).
Knowing God’s past plan of Salvation allows us to see His sovereignty and trust His heart for our future. That is freedom. The opposite no longer needs to be true (Jeremiah 4:22). We have to desire freedom to want to know how to be free.
Understanding what is happening in our time requires knowing how it began. It’s easy to blame “sin” for the fall, but it’s not as easy to understand why God allowed evil in the first place. We need God to explain His way to us because His ways are not ours (Proverbs 3:5-6). That is the first step to understanding.
Wisdom. If you had a time machine, would you destroy the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil? There was a time when that was all I wanted, and I lived in the disappointment of a fallen world. Now that I see God’s purpose in allowing evil and suffering, I am for His plan (Romans 8:28). Choosing God’s will and trusting Him in suffering is wisdom.
God is sovereign over evil.
In His sovereignty, God made dead things come alive and invisible things visible in one act of Creation. Then God separated what was His as good to enable us to choose Him (Colossians 1:16). God exposed the “works of darkness” so that we could see the difference.
God is sovereign because He is Good.
Jesus demonstrated what humankind in the garden was created to be – good. That’s why, when Jesus spoke as God spoke in the beginning, the deaf began to hear, the blind began to see, the lame began to walk, and the dead rose again (Matthew 11:3-6). Jesus declared what never changed in spite of sin.
We are called for His good purpose, even in suffering.
Creation was not the end of God’s work. It initiated God’s plan to create a world free of evil by redeeming His goodness (life) out of its grasp.
– First, God created light in the darkness and called us out of darkness to light.
– Next, God revealed Himself as the Light who is also our Salvation.
– Then, the Light of the World called us from Death to Life.
The Cross was the end of evil, and New Creation has begun.
We are now the Lights of the World because God lives in us. We can’t hide His light or continue to walk in darkness (Matthew 6:22-24). That means:
- We are now visible to the enemy as Children of the Light.
- We have the authority to take back what the darkness stole.
The riches of darkness belong to God, and He will bring us through that valley to the side “with great riches.” God will fight for us! In the end, evil will have no light or life to hold on to.
Best of all, whatever suffering we go through, God is with us. He allows evil for a record against evil. The word of our testimony counts because we are now Sons and Daughters of God. Whatever is done to us is done to Him. How amazing is that? Doesn’t that make suffering worth it?
The more we know of God’s goodness, the more we will be able to discern and avoid what is evil and choose to be purposefully grateful.
What are we waiting for? Knowledge is power.
You are loved beyond measure!
Believing Him,
Monisha.
