Call To Worship (Crying Out To God)

Life Is Hard - but God Is Good

Summary: God has good reasons for what He does, and His answer to our suffering is NOT an explanation … it is Himself.

God’s answers always come from His character ... and His character is unchanging!

Life Is Hard - but God Is Good

Psalm 107:1

Why does God allow suffering?

God has good reasons for what He does, and His answer to our suffering is NOT an explanation … it is Himself.

• Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

Introduction

As I lay sick for the last two weeks. I was sad, disappointed, angry. I had much to think about during that time. God had caused me to slow down.

• As I talked with my wife yesterday, she reminded me of the truth of God’s character … He was with me and He was working for my good and our family’s good.

o Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

 During my illness and my talk with my wife, I was able to remember the character of God … able to trust that indeed … He is Good.

(I’m kind of thirsty … excuse me … DRINK WATER)

Back at Christmas 2017, We had to move after just moving to Florida Disappointment … was a mild word to describe my emotions.

• If God was Good, why was He allowing us as a family to suffer?

o Seeing from where we came from in Texas to moving all around in Florida was disheartening. I was only trying to serve God.

HAD GOD CHANGED?

• We asked the questions … WHY? HOW LONG? WHAT DID WE DO WRONG? I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME GOD?

There are good reasons why people suffer

• All things fit together into a pattern for my good and God’s glory.

• Hardships force me to make decisions about God … they help me to be able to “taste and see” what God is like (DRINK WATER)

o Suffering sometimes is the instrument that God uses to teach us more about Himself

o Suffering is not for our torture; rather it is for our teaching! (GIVE WATER … cheers)

• Suffering makes us a lot more sensitive to people who are hurting.

But good reasons don’t always meet our need

• Sometimes the pain seems to outweigh even the best of benefits.

Illustration: This year, thousands of people in New Orleans suffered again due to another hurricane. No food, no clean water, no hydro … nowhere to call home!

WHERE IS GOD IN THIS SUFFERING?

 We are all willing to say that God performed a miracle when a major event happens and everything turns out ok. We say … “GOD WAS HERE. GOD WAS GOOD”.

 And if God never changes (like we learned a few weeks ago) IS GOD STILL GOOD WHEN A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE SLAMS INTO NEW ORLEANS AND CAUSES THIS KIND OF DESTRUCTION?

 GOD REMAINS GOOD.

HE HAS NOT CHANGED.

HE STILL ANSWERS PRAYER. HE STILL LOVES YOU.

HE IS STILL SOVEREIGN. HE STILL HAS THE RIGHT. HE STILL CARES. HE STILL LOVES.

 And He still wants us to share that with those who do not yet know Him.

Suffering hearts need a person, not an answer

• When we are suffering, we plead for our Father’s assurance that everything will be okay.

• God gives us something better than a list of answers; he gives us himself.

Suffering comes to lead us toward God

• God allows us to suffer so that nothing will come between him and us.

• You can endure almost anything if you know God is right next to you.

PSALM 107:1-2

Give thanks to the Lord for He is Good.

His Love endures forever.

Let those who have been redeemed

(those who have suffered)

tell it!

God’s answer to suffering … JESUS.

People need to know Jesus.

If we know Him … we must tell them … because they are suffering and they need God’s answer!