Thoughts

In our home, we believe in God. In our home, it goes a little like this...

"I've been to church

 I've read the book

 I know he's here

 But I don't look

 Near as often as I should

 Yeah, I know I should

 His fingerprints are everywhere"

God is capable of the most amazing and unimaginable things so how is it that he allows evil to bring destruction and loss into our lives? Why does he not protect us from all evil acts?  I pray often, but I do it privately which sometimes leads me to wonder "Am I doing this right? It doesn't seem like its working!"  Then I remind myself that sometimes the unanswered prayers are just as important as the answered ones.  Can it be that in the midst of something evil goodness fights to prevail? Is it really possible that something evil can end up being good?

I've read that "God uses Satan to refine the faithful. We all have the devil's disease."  Many times when we are hurt or offended, we find ourselves categorizing those who have made us feel that way as "indebted" to us. Shouldn't that person owe me something, like an apology? Or an explanation? To deal with these debts is often at the heart of your own happiness. I've also read that "the issue is not the existence of the pain; the issue is the treatment of the pain." 

Settling the score, or getting even, doesn't even bring happiness. It often brings more pain.  No matter how justified you may feel in your quest for vengeance, you may never feel your debts are paid.  So then how is it possible that something good could come from all this evil?  Possibly its these difficulties, conflicts and evil diseases that are voices of encouragement.  If God brings it to us, he also brings us through it and its said that he will never give us more than we can handle. So this is where I am lately, searching for the sunshine through the storm clouds.  Focusing on what good may come instead of playing the lonely bounty hunter out trying to settle debts.

"Jesus does not question the reality of your wounds.

He does not doubt that you have been sinned against.

The issue is not the existence of the pain;

The issue is the treatment of the pain."

{A friend introduced me to this place last month and even just looking at the pictures I took there that day, I stop and take a deep breath}

Happy Sunday! May you find joy and inspiration in something or someone today!

{EMiLY}