To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.
I write this today because it has been bothering me this week how people try to justify people's pain with the sovereignty of God. Just this week a senator tried to imply that rape and incest could be part of God's will for someones life because God is sovereign and He can use any circumstance.
First of all, that is a crock of CRAP! Yes, God is sovereign but He would never, Ever, EVER will us harm. His Word clearly says that His plans for us are good and NOT evil to bring us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Rape and incest are evil and are not of God so to insinuate that to get an abortion bill passed is sinful and God will deal with that senator.
Secondly, lets give credit to the people who do us wrong and stop blaming God for allowing these things to happen. God has given each and every one of us free will and He says in His Word, rain falls on the just i.e. good people and the unjust i.e. bad people (Matthew 5:45). What does this mean? It means when the rain fall out the sky it doesn't just fall on the bad people, it falls on everyone. Evil doesn't just single out bad people. Just like the rain, everyone can get showered with good or bad. We need to stop being surprised that bad things happen because bad things have always happened. Is that what God wants for us? Of course NOT! However, as long as sin exists in this world this will always be a reality. God didn't cause bad things to happen.
People do bad things to people. Point. Blank. Period.
Thirdly, God can give you beauty for ashes but it's not for me to make you see that. If something traumatic has happened to you, telling you that God will use this circumstance for your good is NOT comforting to a person. It may be true but its not comforting in that moment. Heck, its not comforting to me and I have been a Christian for 20 some odd years and I have that Bible verse memorized. When I had my miscarriage, the first thing most well meaning people would tell me is that everything works together for our good. In that moment though, I didn't really want to hear that. My heart was broken. I already knew that verse but in my grieving process it did not bring much comfort because I still suffered a loss. People who are dealing with a trauma are suffering a loss and they have to work that out however that looks to them. There are much better thing to say especially if you have no idea what that person has gone through.
For me in my time of trauma, the following would have been a much better thing to say.
I know it doesn't seem like it now but God is with you and can help you through this difficult time. And pray that God will speak to that person's heart.
or
What happened sucks! But no matter what it wasn't your fault and God loves you no matter what. And pray that God will speak to that person's heart.
or
I love you and I am here. And pray that God will speak to that person's heart.
or
I don't understand what this feels like but whatever you need, I got you. And pray that God will speak to that person's heart.
or
Say nothing at all and just be there. And pray that God will speak to that person's heart.
Notice after every one I said and pray? That's because the best thing you can do for that person is pray. Only God can give us joy instead of sorrow. Only God can give us hope instead of hopelessness. Only God can give us beauty for ashes. Only God can help us see that.
It angers me when we try to twist God Word for our own personal agendas but then again this isn't new either, its what the Pharisees were doing when Jesus came to earth the first time. That's why it is important to speak the truth in the face of these Pharisees.
God Does Give Beauty for Ashes but....
He would NEVER will harm into your life.
However, when bad things do happen (no one is immune from this) God will be there if you ask Him to be.
The Unlikely Missionary
DHW
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