1 Peter 2:11, MSG Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.
As I get older and have experienced and seen much in life, I have come to the realization that life can be pretty darn cruel and hard. I have experienced difficulties in my own life like emotional abuse, divorce, depression, job loss, and the suicide of a loved one. I know others that are struggling with debilitating physical illnesses, mental illness, addiction, abuse, and more. And there are other terrible things happening in the world such as human trafficking, homelessness, devasting suffering, child abuse, hunger, etc. Sometimes we experience devastating suffering. Depressing post alert!
Unanswered Questions
There are many unanswered questions. One which emerges often for me is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” It seems that prayers are answered for some and not for others.
We were never meant to understand everything while we are in this world. Isaiah 55:9 says: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” One day, “we will know fully, even as we are fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Until that day, we will always have questions.
Beautiful Things
On the flip side, there are beautiful things in this world that God has created for us to enjoy. Birth, nature, love, kindness, laughter, art, friends, and more.
So, what is the point? I think we have to have an eternal perspective and realize that this world isn’t meant to be our home.
To deal with the difficulties and unanswered questions in life, here are 5 things that you can do:
1. Turn to the Lord for comfort and support.
Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
2. Use your struggles to grow and become more like Christ – and help others going through similar trials.
You can allow our struggles to “refine” rather than “define” you. And channel that experience and the resulting perspective and empathy that it provides to help others!
2 Corinthians 4:8-11 – We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
Galatians 6:2 – Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.
3. Hope for the future.
Psalm 71:14 – As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
4. Have faith in God and know that He has an ultimate plan for your life and your suffering.
John 7:38 – Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
5. Change your question.
Instead of asking “Why, God?”, ask the question, “What do you want to accomplish in and through me with this situation?”.
For Christians, this world fraught with all its hardships and difficulties is not our home. We are visitors passing through with our ultimate citizenship in Heaven. But we are called to make the most of this life that we have been given by loving God and loving other people.
Below are the lyrics of an old hymn that make a great conclusion to this post.
This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
Chorus:
O Lord, you know I have no friend like you,
If heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
They’re all expecting me, and that’s one thing I know,
My Savior pardoned me and now I onward go;
I know He’ll take me thro’ tho’ I am weak and poor,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
I have a loving Savior up in glory-land,
I don’t expect to stop until I with Him stand,
He’s waiting now for me in heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
Just up in glory-land we’ll live eternally,
The saints on every hand are shouting victory,
Their songs of sweetest praise drift back from heaven’s shore,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
