“Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.” Isaiah 12:6
Why does God allow so much evil in the world? Famine, war, disease, betrayal, economic woes, hatred… He is omnipotent and sovereign. Why can’t He just stop it all? Why doesn’t He just get rid of all the awful things in this world and let us live happily ever after? He can, of course, but for now, He chooses not to do so.
We all have the ability to choose or reject God. It’s called free will. One day, God will remove sin from this world forever, but right now He has a reason for waiting. That reason is 2 Peter 3:9. It states, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” He waits because He is giving everyone the opportunity to accept Jesus, His Son, as their Saviour. He waits because He doesn’t want to lose any of us. He waits because He loves us.
Right now, sin is rampant on earth, and frankly, sin is enticing in its allure. It beckons, and people follow not realizing that in the end, sin is a deadly trap. Right now, mankind’s foot hovers over the steel jaws of sin, toying with the pseudo-pleasures of wickedness, but one day that trap will snap shut, and there will be no more chance to escape its evil grip. God uses the terrible things of this world to draw us to Him so that we can escape the eternal consequences of sin before it’s too late.
Think about it. When times are hard and situations are difficult to face, to whom do we turn? When there is no one that can help us, where do we go? Think back to 2001. Two decades ago, our nation came under attack, and our churches began to fill with people seeking God. Right now, we are facing another dire situation. Covid-19 has invaded the world bringing sickness, financial troubles, social isolation, and fear… and people are turning to God. When the results of sin come, humanity always turns to God.
Christians are not immune from hard times either. My life has had its own shares of troubled times, and each time, God used them to draw me nearer to Him. Throughout the years, my faith has grown as He took me through the hard times of abandonment, cancer, strained relationships, and loss. He has used every difficult situation to bring me closer to Him. And frankly, without those hard times, I cannot unreservedly say that I would have the relationship with God that I have at this moment. Why? Because being comfortable in a sinful world is what Satan uses to deceive us and keep us from God. I don’t like tough times, and I don’t like tribulation in my life, but I am grateful for their purpose. 1Thessalonians 5:18 states, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Note this verse does not say “for every thing…” but rather, “in every thing…) In every situation (especially in hindsight), I can see the hand of God working and for that, I definitely give thanks. I know God used each situation to grow my faith and deepen my relationship with Him, and I also know He will continue to do so until Jesus comes and take me back to heaven to be with Him forever.
One day, the time will end when mankind will have the opportunity to call upon Christ for salvation. At that time, God will eradicate all sin. Satan and his cohorts will all be forever banished from our lives, and we will begin forever with God in heaven. But that time hasn’t come yet because God is still patiently waiting for His children to come home.
If you’ve never accepted Jesus’ forgiveness for the sins in your life, won’t you do that today? He sacrificed His life on the cross, taking the punishment for your sins, so that He could be your Saviour. He is waiting for you to come to Him, so that He can save you from the eternal punishment of sin and give you eternal life through Him. You want that “happily ever after”? It can only come through Jesus!
The Savior is waiting to enter your heart,
Why don’t you let Him come in?
There’s nothing in this world to keep you apart,
What is your answer to Him?
If you’ll take one step toward the Savior, my friend,
You’ll find His arms open wide,
Receive Him and all of your darkness will end,
Within your heart He’ll abide.
Time after time He has waited before,
And now He is waiting again,
To see if you’re willing to open the door,
Oh, how he wants to come in.
(from “The Savior is Waiting” by Ralph Carmichael)
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28
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If you know someone who needs Jesus, please share Him with them today!