As long as things are going reasonably well in at least most areas of our lives, it’s easy to conclude that all must be well in our relationship with God.
But when tragedy, debilitating injury, illness, or logistical hard times hit us, we may begin to question just where God is, and what possible part such things are to play in the plan that God has in mind.
All of what we have been taught, assumed, or experienced concerning God and the things of God are still there, but something seems to be lacking, evidenced by our lack of understanding and or the ability to accept or effectively deal with whatever it is, that God has sent, or has allowed, to take place.
Weak believers engage in the blame game, whereas advancing disciples begin their search for answers by conducting a 2Cor. 13: 5 SELF examination, to determine if it is divine discipline (1) that is in view, and if so, address it by way of the Biblical solutions (2) that God has provided.
But when divine discipline is not the issue, a deeper search for answers is required.
What we, as individuals, know about the written Word of God (The Bible) is equivalent to what we know about the Living Word of God; the Lord Jesus Christ (3).
Worldly-minded people will offer their input based on human viewpoint. Most clergy will offer the denominational position of the religious establishment that they were trained and ordained to promote, which may or may not have the support of Scripture.
Godly-minded, wellintending, people may be of help, but seldom are they privy to all of the facts required to come to an informed conclusion.
It may be, that when God is silent in response to our prayer requests for Him to show us the way or to provide us with answers, it is His way of saying that He already has provided them through His Word, but that we have neglected His 2Pet. 3: 18 command to grow in His knowledge, in preparation for the storm (4) in view.
Not having the right, immediate answers when tragedy, debilitating injury, illness, and logistical hard times hit us, can really shake (or wake) us up.
At times, God allows us to be hit blind-sided in order to teach us the consequences of not being prepared, or for not following through, but will be there to rescue us (5) after making the point.
Other times, the adversity, that He sends or allows to take place, is for our spiritual growth, providing us with the opportunity to glorify God by applying the doctrine(s) we have learned.
The more difficult the situation, the greater the opportunity there is, to glorify God.
From divine viewpoint, anything that generates or motivates a child of God to delve deeper into His Word is a good thing. It will not only provide the searchers with the answers they need, but will also provide them with answers to be shared with others, facing similar difficulties.
Being human, we want to have the answers to the adversity we face, and we want them, and the accompanying relief, now.
But what we do not learn from studying and applying His Word, He will teach us through experience.
These experiences can prove to be long, repetitive, and painful, if that is what it takes to learn from experience, what we could have been taught, through the study of His Word.
Just how long then, and just how deep, must we search for these much-needed answers?
“… you will seek Me and find Me (and your answers) when you search for Me (and them) with all your heart (Jeremiah 29: 13 NASB2020 parentheses mine).”
(1) Heb. 12: 6 (2) 1John 1: 9/ John 8: 11 (3) John 1: 1 (4) Matt. 7: 24-27 (5) Matt.