Why Do Troubles Come?
Lenn Zeller, Volunteer Director of Conference Care
Life can be very, very hard in this fallen world. Heartaches and difficulties abound, and there is no shortage of illnesses, conflicts, stressors, and hardships to burden us and weigh us down. Even in the church, where one might expect to find warmth and encouragement, there are sometimes disputes and differences that cause discord and hurt feelings. Nothing in the fallen world is what it was meant to be, and sometimes we feel that loss very deeply.
But, until Christ finally comes to set things right, God in His sovereign wisdom allows those hardships and heartaches to come into our lives and even into our churches. Why? Could it be that it is through the conflicts and heartaches that He accomplishes His purposes in our lives? Could it be that He uses those very relational, physical and emotional difficulties to build in us Christlike character and to prepare us for eternity? Could it be that these very afflictions drive us to God Himself and cause us to find in Him our true hope and strength?
The Peacemakers materials encourage us to see conflicts as opportunities to glorify God, to grow to become more like Christ, and to go and be reconciled with our sister and/or brother. We want the pain and discomfort to simply go away. But what might God be doing in the midst of that pain?
A beautiful song by Laura Story asks …
“Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?”
Certainly, when the difficulties arise we cry out to God for healing, protection and relief. But maybe we also ought to pause for a moment to ask Him, “Father, what are You trying to do in my life with this? What are You trying to teach me? How are You trying to correct or discipline me? How can this drive me closer to You and help me to trust more deeply in Your providence and grace?”
As the apostle Paul said it so well, Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3–5)
