Where Is God When Life Hurts

Scripture

Mark 4:35–41 (KJV 1900)

35And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Mark 6:45–51 (KJV 1900)

45And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

46And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

47And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

48And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

49But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

50For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

51And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

Intro

The two scenes from Mark that form the Scriptural foundation for this message do not describe the first time the Disciples had been on the Sea of Galilee. Most of them were fisherman and had been out on those waters hundreds of times since their childhood. They knew that Sea like the back of their hand and they knew how to manage a boat in its rough waters. But they had never seen anything like the storms that hit them on those two separate occasions. They were so massive and violent those hardened fishermen cried out in terror fearing they were about to die. In New Testament imagery a boat was the symbol of the Church and troubled waters were the symbol of troubled lives in the midst of sin sick world. As Americans and Christians, you and I are in the boat facing a storm such as we've never seen. Like the Disciples who took their experience with the Sea of Galilee for granted and believed they knew how to handle ever thing it might throw at them, we had become fairly complacent about life in America. That is, until September 11th when a storm blew in upon us the likes of which we never thought we'd see. In the midst of this national storm we are battling together some of us may be trying at the same moment to sail through the trouble waters of a stormy personal life. On top of the winds of terror that beat upon America September 11th, the enemy may be sending storms of destruction upon some of our families, or our finances, or our health. The boat is taking water, the threats of the storms we face are very real, and we may well feel as if we're about to drown. Yet, brothers and sisters, somebody is about to throw us a life preserver. Somebody is about take on the storms of our life face to face and shout, ''Peace! Be still!'' Somebody is greater than all the winds of destruction. Somebody is stronger than all the rain of terror. Somebody is greater than the darkness that surrounds your life.

LIFE IS UNCERTAIN

EVIL IS REAL

GOD IS GOOD

HOPE IS AVAILABLE

WE HAVE A CHOICE

LIFE IS UNCERTAIN

Life is insecure and uncertain. Skyscrapers crash and so do stock markets. Rebels attack and children rebel. Bodies get broken, and so do relationships. Our health declines and marriages fail.

Ground Zero brings us to places where we see how little is in our control. We are confronted with acts of violence. We feel the trauma of floods and tornadoes. We grieve the pain of divorce. We watch helplessly when our children or grandchildren make rebellious decisions.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (KJV 1900)

29The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

EVIL IS REAL

The aftermath of a tornado or and earthquake is tragic, but not necessarily “evil.” The challenge of a health issue like cancer may be formidable, but not necessarily “evil.” But the tragedies brought about by human decisions bring their own unique pain. The pictures of airliners flying into buildings and skyscrapers collapsing, along with the knowledge that the cause was a deliberate act to kill and destroy convinces us that evil exists. Such sinister acts remind us of the reality of evil. Certainly Jeremiah was right when he said,

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

GOD IS GOOD

The familiar psalm affirms that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

There is a sacred mystery in suffering because God shows up. I do not understand why tragic and heartbreaking things to happen. But I cling to the promise that in the midst of evil, God is present and God is good.

God’s goodness can be trusted, even when we do not understand the pain we are experiencing.

One day we will see things clearly. To borrow the line of the old gospel song by Charles Tindley, We will understand it better by and by. While we sing those words to a light hearted tune, the lesson we express when we sing it is full of faith in a God who loves us amid our troubles.

HOPE IS AVAILABLE

He does not offer understanding. Instead He offers something greater: HOPE. Paul affirmed to a persecuted church in Rome the that If God is for us who can be against us?

Romans 8:30–31 (KJV 1900)

30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

God is for YOU! Your parents may have forgotten you. Your siblings may be embarrassed by you. Your enemies may have the upper hand against you. The world may seem against you…BUT God IS FOR YOU! Therefore, we can have hope and hope makes all the difference.

WE HAVE A CHOICE

We cannot always choose what happens, but we can choose our responses. Even when you see the water filling in your boat of life and feel the great winds tossing you are around know that the Lord is right there in your situation.

You may feel like life is treating you bad, no one understands you, everyone as left you alone, and you are not able to do anything right. That is when WE HAVE A CHOICE, do you believe is the Lord you serve or in the situation you are in.

Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV 1900)

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;

And lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him,

And he shall direct thy paths.

Closings

In the face of persecution, in the face of craziness in our world today, in the face of anything that can potentially be harmful, we all have hope through Christ Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.

When peace like a river attendeth my ways. When sorrows like sea billows roll.

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

Be of good cheer and do not be afraid. I AM is here in spike of everything you are facing in life.

Over sickness

Over depression

Over separation

Over finances woes

Over loss of family member

Over lack of faith

Over evil in the world

Over life hurts

Just let Jesus in your boat and the issue will cease and the storm will calm down.