Ready:
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
-Romans 8:28
Set:
Game four of the 2007 World Series featured a pitching match-up of two men who had faced more pressure than their current big stage could offer. Jon Lester of the Boston Red Sox and Aaron Cook of the Colorado Rockies both had life-threatening illnesses they had to overcome in order to make it to the pinnacle of baseball. "I don't think it's a coincidence," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "I think this game drips with irony. I believe in a lot of different venues that God's fingerprints are all over a lot of things if we are able to open our eyes and recognize it."
"This is going to sound funny," added Boston reliever Mike Timlin, "but God blessed Jon Lester with cancer just to show a lot of people that you can overcome something that's so hard in your life you think, 'I'm not gonna make it.' He's going to be able to take his faith in God and the strength God gave him and tell a lot of other people a great story."
Have you ever asked the question, "Why does God allow suffering?" Most of us have questioned God during difficult times in life. But on the other hand, have you ever asked the question, "Why does God allow joy and peace in life?" Kind of interesting, isn't it? Even though we live in a sinful world, we still automatically assume that we should experience the "good things" in life, but when any pain comes we begin to question God and His plan.
God sovereignly orchestrates the events in the lives of His people to bring honor and glory to Himself and to bring us into a deeper relationship with Him. Keeping this in mind, may we continually trust in God and His plan even when it doesn't make sense to us.
Go:
1. How would you respond to someone who asked, "Why does God allow suffering?"
2. When do you feel you grow the most in your relationship with God: in good times or through trials? Why?
3. In what ways have you seen God bring about good in a difficult situation in your life?
Workout:
Deuteronomy 8:15-16
Job 1:20-22
Job 2:10
Romans 5:1-5