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Thursday, August 6, 2015

Does Suffering Turn You Away From Jesus or Toward Jesus?


Several years ago, a young beloved police officer was gunned down in our city causing a flood of tears for many, especially his wife.  As anyone would, she deeply grieved over his death and her loss of him. She believed it was the worst thing that could ever happen to her as a young bride.  Soon, anger towards God began to swell in her soul. After the funeral, she set up a meeting with her pastor.

Through angry tears, she told him that she could no longer believe in Jesus because if He would let her husband be taken from her, then she wanted nothing to do with Him.  The pastor lovingly tried to convince her to change her mind but she was immovable.  She walked away from her faith in Jesus never to return.

In another story, a lady came to GLI to receive personal counseling for years of debilitating depression and discouragement.  God worked through the counselor to share with her the freedom found in the Gospel for Christians.  As she began to understand the overwhelming love of God for her, her years of depression and discouragement were replaced with great joy. 

Shortly afterwards, her husband also died without warning.  She was heartbroken, full of grief and anger towards God.  But her story ends very differently.  Because she understood that nothing could separate her from God’s amazing love for her, she released her anger and turned to Jesus in her for comfort and solace. 

The Apostle Paul wrote, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39.

King David wrote that God’s love was better than anything in his life after his son, Absalom, had chased him out of the palace with vicious threats to murder him. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.  Psalms 63:3-4

When you truly begin to understand how much God loves you, no matter what comes at you in life, you eventually will turn toward a deeper trust and intimacy with Jesus rather than away from Him.  It may take some time for you to get there, but you will get there.

Are you convinced that God loves you no matter what happens?  Or do you look at good or bad circumstances as indicators of whether God loves you?  The first leads to freedom.  The latter leads to bondage.


I urge you to make a decision today, no matter how you feel or what life is throwing at you, that God loves you no matter what.  If you need help getting there call us at 704-522-9026 for a live or Skype consultation.  God does not want you to live feeling unloved by him for one more minute!  

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

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