SO YOU’RE MAD, WHO YOU GONNA BLAME?

Some people live their lives as if there is no God.  “I Did It My Way” is their goal in life. When adversity comes they shake their fist in the face of (their non-existent) God who they have spent their lives ignoring and mocking, and yell, “Why would a loving God let this happen.” 

On the other hand, some good people have honored and obeyed God to the best of their knowledge, been saved by the blood of Jesus and still – they have had to go through the fires of pain and suffering.  

SO AGAIN I ASK, “WHO YOU GONNA BLAME?” 

THE DEVIL:   Peter 5:8-9  …Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  The devil hates God.  He tries to hurt God through man whom God loves.  John 10:10 says the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  He will destroy people by way of the sins of the flesh, such as lust, addictions, jealousy, greed, etc.  And his most ready instrument is evil men/women.

MAN USED BY THE DEVIL:  2 Peter 2:7-9  and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) ….  Lawless Men – tyrants, dictators, abusive fathers, drunken mothers,  jealous brothers and many others – cause sorrow and suffering.  Sometimes even deliberately.  Negatively stereotyping groups of people causes suffering.  Broken relationships are painful.  People hurt people.

GOD:  Hebrews 12:6 NIV …because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”   Peter 4:19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will…  God, himself, puts people through trials and tests.

Many Christians will balk at my saying God sometimes causes adversity for people – even good people.  But there are many scriptures that confirm that.  He pictures himself as a father who disciplines and chastens, the potter who breaks the vessels and remolds it, the one who prunes as the gardener prunes the trees, the one who makes some vessels for honor and some for dishonor.

GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN BLAME WHOMEVER. 

IN THE END IT COMES DOWN TO THE FACT, WHETHER HE CAUSES IT OR ALLOWS IT, GOD IS IN CONTROL.  HE WILL BRING NOTHING AGAINST YOU THAT IS NOT FOR YOUR GOOD, HE SETS LIMITS ON WHAT THE DEVIL CAN BRING AGAINST YOU.  HE WILL ONLY ALLOW HARDSHIPS THAT CAN BE WORKED FOR GOOD.  THEY ARE LIMITED IN TIME AND SCOPE.