God gives trials???

A couple of days ago, I posted a letter, written by a woman who had been deeply affected by The Chosen. It was a beautiful, poignant letter. But a line from it has bothered me. Speaking about the hardships she'd recently endured, she said she knew that God had allowed their struggles to test them.

Now I know there are instances where this is supported in Bible stories, but I struggle with the concept that this is God's normal mode of operation. It smacks a little of sadistic manipulation! And the God I know is not that person!

Jesus is our clearest display of who God is. He said "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. " John 14:9 I think everything we read should be viewed through that lens! And I see nothing of the sadist in Jesus! Instead, I see a God who was willing to deal with life's harshness, as we have to! To let us know he understands and will never leave us! And that he will support us through the tough times in life!

I don't believe he spends his time setting up pitfalls and trials for us! There's plenty of struggle that happens here all by itself without him needing to do that! He can't protect us from it all, or we'll never understand how evil sin is and all it destroys! And his primary law of love decrees that there must be free will! So he can't stop all the evil! Not yet anyway. That day will come. And those who have chosen to live free of it, will finally not be subject to the torments that come with it! For now - the evil needs to be visible for what it is. So we never want it in our lives again.

So I guess my point is this - while there may be times when God "tests" someone - and I think that has more to do with that someone learning about themselves and who God is for them in those times, rather than him trying to figure out if their faith is strong or not - I see him instead, as willing to stand by us and support us as we go through hardships! Holding us up - till we make it through! Being our rock of constancy, our peace and comfort when all else fails. And he brings us through - turning chaos into beauty! Bringing good out of bad! That's the God I know! And that's why I struggled with that line!

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