Light in the Darkness

Genocide. Disease. Broken hearts. Hurt. If you were to turn on the news this seems to be the vast majority of what you would hear about... Well maybe not the broken hearts but you more than likely see those everyday. We live in a fallen world. Ever since that fateful day in Eden (Genesis 3), humans and creation have been fighting to survive and make life a little better. We live in a day and age where for some of us life is pretty easy as far as being provided for and taken care of. Then disaster strikes. 

A number of things have happened in my church family recently that have left me and I'm sure others wondering where God is. We thought that He was all powerful and able to heal us? He is. He is still on His throne. He is still sovereign and He still cares. Then why aren't the diseases and hurt being healed? Why aren't the broken hearts being made whole? Why isn't the genocide stopping? I don't know. 

I wonder if maybe God hasn't  brought healing to us because He has a greater purpose behind the evil that has occurred. I think that even though God didn't cause the evil, maybe He allowed it to happen so that His Church would become unified. Maybe God allowed it so that through every bit of suffering that is occurring, the ones suffering would be met with the love of His people. I believe with all my heart that God will bring healing to the disease and the hurt and wholeness to the brokenhearted, but I also believe that God has a greater purpose beyond us. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

We don't have to understand why things happen the way they do because we know that God's ways aren't our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. We know that God is still in control. Through every sickness and every disease, through every heart break and every hurt, we know! We know that God is in control and we can trust Him. Maybe God hasn't allowed them to happen for the unification of the Church but He has purpose. 

So what do we do now? Almost ironically, we wait on The Lord. We pray, we pray our hearts out for the hurt that is going on. And we trust that God is good and He will come through. We be light in this fallen and broken world, and it starts with the church acting like the Church.

[The believers] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,

 to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 

 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

 All the believers were together and had everything in common.

 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 

 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. 

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 

praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. 

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47