How to Live Through a Bad Day When God Doesn't Make Sense
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Looking at Bad Days… more of them than we ever thought… and they last longer than we want.
Different Levels of Bad Days. I described my bad day ringing doorbells last week.
Train Derailment story...
Jesus’ Bad day was actually what we call Good Friday, but it was anything but good for Jesus.
Looking at Jesus statements on the cross.
2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
We are studying how he did it.
Jesus is struggling and suffering on the cross and then it gets worse about noon. Jesus is suffering, and the sun goes dark. He is suffering and people are beginning to wonder that maybe he was the Son of God… Here was Jesus suffering and then it gets dark. It goes from bad to worse. Ever feel that way?
Jesus hung on the cross in the dark for 3 hours…
We can identify with this statement because many of us have felt this way ourselves.
Then in the darkness from the cross Jesus says...
46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
I’m sure you have been there… wondering where God is… When a loved one was dying… when you went through a divorce… lost a job…
Jesus give us permission to question God.
This is the most human thing he ever said...He is identifying with us.
He is showing us a truth and here it is.
Lesson #4: AIM YOUR HARD QUESTION AT GOD, NOT MAN.
Lesson #4: AIM YOUR HARD QUESTION AT GOD, NOT MAN.
God can handle out questions, our pain, our doubts. There are those times when there is no answer. The doctor doesn’t have one, no pastor has an answer, no one has an answer.
Maybe you got a phone call about an accident, an illness,
We put the burdens of why on ourselves…
What can we do when live doesn’t make sense… When God doesn’t make sense?
He told the story of the young man who came with him but was killed… Tyler
When God Doesn't Make Sense, Trust His Nature
When God Doesn't Make Sense, Trust His Nature
We have to trust in who God really is… When life is crazy, we have to trust God.
We think his nature is one of a lightening bolt in one hand and a sledge hammer in the other waiting to catch us doing something wrong.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
There is no evil in God. When we are hurting we have to trust in God’s nature.
When God Doesn't Make Sense, Trust His Promises
When God Doesn't Make Sense, Trust His Promises
We don’t feel like God is there, like he cares, so we have to trust his promises. What does his word say because you may not feel it, but we have to trust his promises.
20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
While I am hurting, I have to trust in the promises of God
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
You may feel forsaken. Jesus felt forsaken and called out to God in the darkness and we can to.
Another promise
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
We have to trust that God can take those horrible situations and turn them into good for us.
When God Doesn't Make Sense, Trust in His Final Destination.
When God Doesn't Make Sense, Trust in His Final Destination.
Heaven is better than Earth.
Paul went though more than most and if anyone had an excuse to question God, it was Paul. He wa
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Jesus experienced the worst on Earth so we could experience God’s best in heaven.
PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO
PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO
9 In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.
1. LEARN WHILE ASKING WHY
1. LEARN WHILE ASKING WHY
We can learn while we are going through our bad days.
8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
Jesus learned obedience through the things that he suffered. We need to ask, what can we learn through this pain.
“Pain is a passport that will take you places that you could not have gotten to any other way.”
“Pain is a passport that will take you places that you could not have gotten to any other way.”
Learn through the pain. What are you teaching me? There is a purpose to our pain.
9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.
We learn that during the worst times, we need to lean into God and trust him.
2. LOVE WHILE ASKING WHY
2. LOVE WHILE ASKING WHY
Who can I help while I am hurting? We take the focus off of ourselves and focus outwardly.
16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
While we are hurting, we are to share with those in need… even when you don’t feel like it.
Looking to help others while we are in pain...
4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
You can bring people who are going through what you are going through comfort like no one else can.
story of forgiveness
3. WORSHIP WHILE ASKING WHY
3. WORSHIP WHILE ASKING WHY
You may be crying yourself to sleep… don’t want to think about God… in the middle of your pain. If you want healing, you must shift and worship God. He can then work miracles in your life.
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.
As You worship God, that devouring fire will burn up your pain, fear, loneliness, hurt, depression… That devouring fire can bring you healing in the middle of your pain.
When we shift our focus from me & now to him & then and give him my very best… even when I don’t feel like it.
ILL - when mama died, I worshipped the Lord… drove through the tears and God showed up like never before.
22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. 23 Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.
The further away the Lord feels… the smaller he looks in the distance, we have to make him bigger… closer and we do that when we chose to worship.
Real worship… isn’t just the singers…
REAL WORSHIP IS TRUSTING GOD WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
REAL WORSHIP IS TRUSTING GOD WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
Prayer Time