Recently during a conversation about grace and forgiveness a friend interjected that “God gives us opportunities to forgive others so that we can learn how to forgive like He has forgiven us.” It is a similar conclusion I have heard in many different forms, God sends us suffering so that it will develop our character, God sends us trials so that we can learn how to overcome etc etc.
In many forms it is theology shaped by circumstances rather than God’s character.
Of course I am not pretending nothing bad ever happens. Jesus himself promised in this life we will have trouble (not one of His more popular promises). To be fair the old testament does also contain many prophecies and stories where it sounds like God sends disaster, destruction and desperate circumstances upon His people. And we would be right to fear God, His word does in fact says the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.
However, here is my question does our Father, who embodies everything that is pure, everything that is righteous and everything that is perfect , really test and refine us through disaster, destruction and desperation? Should we live in fear that if we step out of line he will send bad things to punish us. Or might a better translation be the awe of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. Might His character more reflect that He loves us so much He has gifted us free will, the gift of making our own choices. The first of which consequentially led to death and decay, through which disaster, destruction and desperation have become all too familiar experiences. Perhaps if we view the old testament through the lens of a Father who’s desire is for His people to prosper. And therefore with increasing urgency urges His children to live their lives out in truth, honour, rest, peace, forgiveness, grace, and contentment. When those people consistently resoundingly rebel He continued to warn them man made religions are empty and lead to despair and desperation, deceit, dishonour and violence lead to destruction at the hands of the offended, lack of rest leads to decay and despair, whilst bitterness and greed also only lead to despair and destruction. The rest as they say is history, because eventually the consequences of not heeding those warning caught up with those people.
Perhaps at this point you are wondering why I think this is important …
Because how we view God often informs our behaviour both towards each other and how we react in hard times. (Assuming our we are not living in direct rebellion towards God) If we view hardship as sent by God to test us then best case scenario we’ll just grin and bear it or worse case scenario it may affect our mental health. However, if we understand we live in a fallen world where decay, despair, destruction, disaster and desperation are unfortunate realities of that distortion of God’s original design and the presence of an enemy who is hell bent on creating as much misery as possible, but that we belong to a Kingdom where peace, perfection and purity reigns then we understand we can contend for breakthrough here on earth. We approach times of difficulty and hardship with a hope, that change is possible.
Lets be cultivators of hope!
What might our families, neighbourhoods, workplaces or social circles look like, if instead of living with difficulties we pushed into relentlessly interceding for His perfect will to be done here on earth as it is in Heaven?
