He can but He won't???

        What do we do or think about first when we are confronted with issues, setbacks, or pain? Usually, we will do everything we can to improve our situation, or we question God like, "Lord, why are you allowing these things to happen in my life?" or "Lord, I already planned my life, Why are you ruining it?'' and a lot more.  We assume that we know what's best in the first place. When God does not follow our plans, he must be wrong, right? or sometimes we even think that God is punishing us because of our wrongdoings. 

But when the trial comes, we rely on our own strength and knowledge, because we think that this is God's Punishment versus us,  and then, when we run out of ways to solve our problems, that is the time that we run to God, and if nothing happens, we ask Him why He is allowing bad things to occur. 

But who are we to question him?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   Jeremiah 29:11,NIV

   Isn't it comforting to know that the one who holds your future is the God who created the heavens and the earth? 

God's ways are higher than we can fully understand, but we can trust that He will always be faithful to His promises, before a word to your tongue, the Lord knows it. Nothing is hidden from His sight, on the other hand, we are limited in knowledge, we cannot know what's best for us because we are not the creator, but a small part of his creation. 

The reality is that believing in Jesus doesn't exclude us from facing genuine fears and anxieties, that's for sure, the path to happiness and peace is not always a straight line but we can always find reassurance in the detours of life because He has proved that in all His ways He will always work altogether for your good, and Because He is God, His hands are big enough to hold what yours cannot. A good father may not always explain himself to his children, but He is acting out of love.  

So the next question is If He is not Punishing me, What is He doing? Why do we need to face trials?

God tells us not to be afraid, even when we do not see any hope in our circumstances. Why? because He is God, and even the winds and the sea obey him. He will only let the storm rage as long as He knows our good and his glory must be revealed. God knows what He is doing, even when we do not; and His plan is good and better than ours. Problems we can't fix are opportunities to know the truth- we can't do life on our own. Learn to wait on Him rather than working hard in self-reliance. 

Yes, It's painful, but to reach our maximum potential, we have to experience suffering and trials-we can't always be happy, there are chances that we will cry, we will have a hard time or we will be tested, but everything is part of our journey in reaching what is meant for us. Accepting that we are weak is absolutely fine, I find it useless to carry a facade of strength when all we feel is weakness. By His grace, despite our unbelief and pride, the Lord takes our misguided emotions and failing hearts and fills us with his strength and presence. We are unfit, breakable, disposable vessels, and God has decided to use our weakness to display his power and love.

God has a way of using painful circumstances to move us in a direction we never would have chosen,  He will destroy everything that was made to destroy us. Only God knows fully what's His purposes are in the circumstances He allows. 

There are times that we feel like, God doesn't understand us, but remember, Jesus walked a harder path, He is the only one who can enter into our pain, fully and completely,  and he did it all for you and me.  He alone knows our hearts, temperments, insecurities, fears, emotions, and desires. Christ walked the lonely road of calvary so that we may never have to walk any road apart from him. 

So, the next time you think again that you are being punished by God, know that your punishment has already been served, on a wooden cross, by Another. remember His past faithfulness, His love, and purpose, and His promises about your future. 

We may have trials, suffering, and pain, but we have hope beyond our pain, joy beyond the heartache, and life beyond death because we have God with nail marks on his hands who holds our future. The same God that created the heavens and the earth is the same God that promised you to give you hope and a future. 

This suffering will not last forever. Have Faith and trust the Lord. 
HE IS TOO WISE TO BE MISTAKEN. 

God bless :)