Why?

In the past few days, my family has had many discussions about why things happen. Some of the discussion is even centered around the question: "why does God let certain things happen?", things that we don't like or want to see happen.  

The questions are many:

Why are we not content with where we are?

Why do children get cancer? 

Why is there this much hurt in the world?

Why do people we love have to die?

Why? Why? Why?

And while I don't know the specific answers to the individual questions, situations, and people, I do know God knows the answer. He see the big picture. 

In John 16:33 Jesus says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Here are a few of the things I have been thinking about and learning in the last few days:

1. Jesus has overcome! Death will not win. Those of us in Christ have the promise of eternal life. 

....“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 NIV

2. Jesus heals all our hurts. He will comfort us when we are suffering, no matter what our suffering may be. He also heals in His timing, maybe here, maybe in Heaven with Him. 

3. Our time here is just a blink of an eye compared to eternity. We will have trials. He never promised it would be easy. But when we look at things in the grand scheme of eternity, we have hope that there is more. 

4. Lastly, I want to live in light of eternity. Are the desicisions I am making today really that important? Will they make an eternal effect?

***I started writing this blog post on Sunday, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to share it. I think it hurts, because even though I am writing these things, it is still hard to live these things out. It is hard to see the hurt in the world, the hurt in my own family and the families around me, and still believe and trust. But we are called to do so. 

So I am trusting by faith...

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NIV