We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

The reason so many people do not pray is because of its cost. The cost is not so much in the sweat of agonizing supplication as in the daily fidelity to the life of prayer.
Samuel Chadwick

Those in the world do not respond well to pain. They fear it, despise it and run from it. They struggle with why God would allow suffering. They see no purpose in it. They make themselves out to be a victim and with bitter hearts blame the world for their misfortunes. They fret, overreact, whine, and complain. They throw massive pity-parties. They lose peace and joy and move further away from God. On the other hand, Christians know from the Bible and experience that God sovereignly permits suffering to enter our lives. We trust His goodness and wisdom and remain under the trial until it accomplishes God’s designed work in our lives. Since His primary goal is to make us holy, God gets our attention through the trial and then is continually refining our character. We don’t minimize the pain and sorrow, but know deep inside through faith that good will come out of it. We can therefore give thanks for all things and maintain our joy and peace despite apparently unfavorable circumstances. Do you see the diametrically opposed contrast to the world?
Randy Smith