i like days like today.
there is the highest storm warning ever in germany and although the worst of the storm won’t hit us directly, we should have some fun outdoor activity later today. because of this the two groups going on outreach today didn’t go, no one is going anywhere, the Honeycomb is busy with people reading and a game of Settlers of Catan, and the rest of us are going through our day slowly writing journals, purpose papers, and reading missionary biographies.
it’s a cozy day where one sips their hot chocolate and eats an apple with peanut butter. it’s the kind of day where i get caught up on the dreaded journals that aren’t difficult but rather annoying. and it’s that lovely day where one is rather overwhelmed by the goodness of God.
on the way to the airport, one of the last conversations i had with my mumsie and two oldest sisters was about suffering. yesterday when i went out for dinner to catch up with friends and see how christmas break was for everyone the question was asked that we were discussing: is suffering from the Lord?Â
this morning i finished reading the book of Job and this afternoon wrote my journal on it.  Job addresses one simple question that has been asked throughout all of mankinds existence. this book shows one mans suffering and deals with the question, why? why did this happen to Job? why do people suffer? and why does God allow it to happen? these questions will continue to be some of the most frequently asked questions and will be some that we might never have answers for.Â
maybe i think too simply and maybe i’m not intellectual enough to really understand everything about suffering, but i find that it’s hard for me to grasp the idea that all suffering come from directly from my Father’s hand. suffering happens, bad things happen to good people, and most of the time it doesn’t make sense to our human mind. i’ve come to terms with the fact that most of the time i’ll never know why, but what i do know is that He’s good and i can trust Him.
simple, but my answer.
I’ll never let you go
So, never let me go
I think you must have gotten your simplicity and intelligence quotient from aforementioned mumsie. Oh, well. Simple often takes us far.
And as long as you know that He is good, wonderfully good, you will be okay.
Some friends of mine spent a year in northern Germany…and came back saying “ish bin ein Madshen”…which I couldn’t get used to. Glad to hear you pronounce the “ch” the ‘right’ way. 😉
About suffering…I think you’re right. We know that He knows us deeply and ordains all of our days. Whether or not He directly sends suffering is beside the point. What isn’t beside the point (which means it is the point 🙂 ) is that God allows all things to happen, and He has promised to never leave or forsake. Put concisely, the origins of suffering matter much less than our response. And there’s no better response than that which you have offered.