Feeling the Squeeze

Question: If God loves me, why does He let bad things happen to me?

Answer: One advantage of passing through trying times is that we are drawn closer to God by being drawn closer to Jesus, our Savior and Friend. We seek safety and security in His arms, and we find that and more. He loves us with a love that is everlasting and never changes. He has so much to give us, and He desires to help us in so many ways. He wants to spend time with us, and He longs to have us close to Him, always by His side, to teach us, and to make us more like Himself.

Unfortunately it’s just part of human nature that when everything goes right, we don’t feel such a pressing need for God and His help and strength in our lives. When everything is going our way, we often get the very wrong idea that we’re strong and sufficient in ourselves, that we don’t need Him. We’re living happy, successful lives, so we don’t need any help—or interference.

We don’t see what we’re missing, but He does. He knows that we truly do need Him, and He knows how much more He has to offer if we depend on Him.

He wants to teach us to lean on Him and avail ourselves of His strength, which is infinitely greater than ours. But how can that happen if we ignore Him or shut Him out of our lives?

If we didn’t have troubles and tribulations, we wouldn’t feel the need for or find refuge in His arms, and we wouldn’t learn to find strength and comfort in communion with Him and study of His Word.

This may not sound like good news to you, but it is: God not only allows hardships, but He often sends them. He fashions them specifically for us, and He does so for the express purpose of bringing us closer to Him. He puts the squeeze on so we will call out to Him for help. He does this not to hurt or punish us, but to strengthen us. He knows that in depending on Him, our spiritual strength and resilience to life’s difficulties will grow, and that as we draw closer to Him and become more like Him, we will be much happier and more fulfilled in the long run.

If we will turn to Jesus in our times of trouble, He will prove to us in those trying moments how much He loves us. The problem may not go away instantly, but He will give us “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” and help us appreciate the good that He is working in our lives.

—

Colossians 1:16 ESV / For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV / Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Psalm 28:7 ESV / The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.