"There is a time for everything...(Eccl. 3:1-8)." I recently shared this passage with the staff of a church where they had experienced the death of two of their colleagues. It seemed very appropriate when I began preparing for the time we would spend together. However, later, I felt it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough just to remind them, as one of my patients likes to say, "that's just the way it is." That's just the way it is and we have no other choice but to find a way to accept it. I think the Scriptures paint a different picture for us than that.
There is a need to accept what appears to be outside of our control, but we don't have to resign ourselves to what we consider a "less than" attitude of acceptance. "Oh well, I guess I have to accept it, what else can I do?" In her book, "Abundant Simplicity," Jan Johnson points out how many of us believe God is "forcing us to live a 'much less' life;" when, in fact, "the phrase 'much more' occurs many times in Scripture (Mt. 7:11; Rom. 5:9-10, 15, 17; II Cor. 3:7-11), and usually indicates God's astonishing generosity."
As I considered what God might want these friends to understand, I found myself looking at what occurred on the road to Emmaus, when Jesus encountered those who were mourning His own death. The way He chose to comfort them was not by saying to them they needed to just accept it and get over it. He wanted them to understand it had been foretold and was necessary in accomplishing God's bringing salvation into the world, and bringing mankind into relationship with Him. I like to tell my patients, we grieve what we lost, but we get on with what is left. Christ wanted them to realize God had a purpose in allowing His death and it was a good thing. Similarly, God has a purpose in allowing even the death of His saints. And, He promises He can and will "bring good out of every situation, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)."
Later on, I came upon a statement by David that gave me further perspective. In Ps. 31:15, David writes, "My times are in your hands." There is a time for everything and yet, God is in control at all times, and has a purpose for everything that does occur in our lives. While we may think there are good times and there are bad times, they are all times that God has ordained and filled with purpose. God is a "much more" God, who is not standing idly by when things "go wrong." He is not unaware of the events of our lives and is not surprised by what we are going through. While we may grieve, we may feel disappointed in the way things turn out, or we may be confused by what is going on around us, God is in control. He is acting on our behalf, continuing to accomplish His purpose. He is just waiting for us to get on board and be a part of it.
Godspeed, Phil
There is a need to accept what appears to be outside of our control, but we don't have to resign ourselves to what we consider a "less than" attitude of acceptance. "Oh well, I guess I have to accept it, what else can I do?" In her book, "Abundant Simplicity," Jan Johnson points out how many of us believe God is "forcing us to live a 'much less' life;" when, in fact, "the phrase 'much more' occurs many times in Scripture (Mt. 7:11; Rom. 5:9-10, 15, 17; II Cor. 3:7-11), and usually indicates God's astonishing generosity."
As I considered what God might want these friends to understand, I found myself looking at what occurred on the road to Emmaus, when Jesus encountered those who were mourning His own death. The way He chose to comfort them was not by saying to them they needed to just accept it and get over it. He wanted them to understand it had been foretold and was necessary in accomplishing God's bringing salvation into the world, and bringing mankind into relationship with Him. I like to tell my patients, we grieve what we lost, but we get on with what is left. Christ wanted them to realize God had a purpose in allowing His death and it was a good thing. Similarly, God has a purpose in allowing even the death of His saints. And, He promises He can and will "bring good out of every situation, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)."
Later on, I came upon a statement by David that gave me further perspective. In Ps. 31:15, David writes, "My times are in your hands." There is a time for everything and yet, God is in control at all times, and has a purpose for everything that does occur in our lives. While we may think there are good times and there are bad times, they are all times that God has ordained and filled with purpose. God is a "much more" God, who is not standing idly by when things "go wrong." He is not unaware of the events of our lives and is not surprised by what we are going through. While we may grieve, we may feel disappointed in the way things turn out, or we may be confused by what is going on around us, God is in control. He is acting on our behalf, continuing to accomplish His purpose. He is just waiting for us to get on board and be a part of it.
Godspeed, Phil
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