Why Does God Do This To Me? Have you ever felt this? I’m not sure there is anyone who hasn’t felt this way.
Life is going just fine. Good friends. Stable Finishing Grad School, The Future is Bright. Whatever will happen next – it will be great.
Look what happened to Katie and I….
Out of grad school.
Lost student apartment.
Can only get part time work.
Lost medical insurance.
Living with relatives.
Broke.
In dept.
By the way – your wife is pregnant and good luck paying for the birth.
What could happen next – I did’t want to know.
One thing goes wrong, then another…and another. Sometimes it is just a lot of little things. You know, those days where you spill coffee on yourself as you walk out the door. Maybe that’s everyday for you…It gets to the point where we can stop and realize. Where are the blessings of God in my life? That is a very real question. It is one that reveals how we see the favor of God in our lives.
As Americans we tend to believe, When things are going well...
My health is fine,
Relationships are stable,
My mental health is sound,
My finances are fine,
that we are in God’s favor and God is blessing us. And to the contrary when we see a series of unfortunate events in our lives...
Relationships we value coming apart,
Poor health or anxiety setting in,
that God is against us, God has removed his blessing from us.
The reality is this: Hard times, bad circumstances……desperate circumstances, are in no way a sign that God’s blessing is not upon you.
This morning we will see: People who are in God’s favor, do tend to have great difficulties in their lives. Opposite of what we would assume. God will make it happen – I myself will not. The true blessings of God are deeper than we may expect.
God Has A Plan For Your Life…..I’ll trade his plans for me for the plans of someone else’s life. I sure have felt that way at times. God has a plan for your life. Ok, what is it? Because I sure can’t see where it is going. But it is true, whether we can see it or not. God has a plan for you life, for my life, for all of us.
The Purpose Thing.
We saw God placed us here for a purpose – that became pretty clear. If he has a purpose – he certainly has a plan. But remember – his plan – is not our plan…..We tend to romanticize life in the past…Wasn’t it wonderful to have an infant in the house, so sweet, cuddly? Don’t you just love little babies? I don’t miss the lack of sleep – that’s for sure.
Newlyweds - that was us. We had a cute two bedroom cottage with 2.5 acres around us; Huge Oak treeshanging over the house; A creek that horseshoed around the house; Ivy all over and lowers everywhere, it was cute as a button. BUT, the oven was held together with bungee cord. We saw one just like it in an antique store. The shower. If you used any other water, it would stop – to a drip. Leaky toilet, he had ice in the winter around toilet. The Heater. to get it to start we had to take a pair of alagator clips attached to bare wires together sticking out of wall, clip them together (no kidding) jump three times anf it would start. I am not making this up. We had rats that would literaly cratch the bottom of the tub, when one of us was in it – creepy!
It was a wonderful place to live.
We also tend to romanticize the lives of those long ago. Wouldn’t it be great to have been with Jesus? Wouldn’t it have been wonderful?
Well I don’t know....
Plan for Mary.Take a well respected woman from a good family, who is in love and thrilled to be married soon, and be on her own soon. She is excited about the future. Send an angel with “Good News” (In Luke 1)
You will bear the messiah; You will be called loved. Sounds great – wonderful plans Lord – thank you..But what a minute....
Matt 1:18
“His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,
but before they came together,
she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”
Understanding that the pledge given for marriage means they are engaged, for about a year, and are to have very little, or no contact with each other, otherwise the legal implications are they are as good as married. Also understanding that this society took adultery, very, very seriously. Judgment being possible death. Rarely carried out in this time. An act that carried a judgment so severe even the perception of the act of adultery would cast you in a bad light. What do you think people thought of Mary? Were they happy for her, congratulated her?
They probably wouldn’t even speak with her. Is that all part of the plan?
The angel didn’t tell Mary - by the way during your pregnancy – no one will believe you. Your reputation will be shot. Your friends may abandon you and your parents may not believe you.
She saw an angel? It is like seeing a UFO today.
“She used to be such a nice girl…”
Oh one more thing, your Fiancé will try to put you away.
We read in verse 19
19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man
and did not want to expose her to public disgrace,
he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Holy Smoke! I thought Mary was highly favored by God? Now everything seems to be falling apart, and God intervenes.
20 But after he had considered this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son,
and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
Excellent – but that doesn’t fix everything, does it? If Mary Found Such favor With God……Why was her life so difficult? Luke 1:28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
This is just me, but I would think God would have shown much more kindness to a favored one. Mary’s 9 months pregnant – traveling to Bethlehem. Men – Ever traveled across country with a pregnant woman
I have. I have seen every gas station, rest stop and possible restroom location from New Jersey through Texas.
Herod attempts to kill Jesus so Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt. I’m sure that was a time of relaxation.
Wait a second! Isn’t this Jesus, at this point a vulnerable infant. Why can’t God the Father just take care of Herod, and save Jesus? Just boom, its done. Call one of those guys from Jersey and - budda bing...
Isn’t that what we want God to do for us? Let me wake up tomorrow – and it is all better. But God the Father doesn’t does do this for Jesus does he? The family is warned, by the grace of God to get out of town. They go to Egypt – like going to Canada, but better weather.
Remember the Magi and their gifts – Gold Frankincense and myrrh. Very high value commodities, what they lived on in Egypt. So God does provide.
Ok God, here’s why I deserve better. Really? I compare who I am and I see that I fall far short to of their faith, love, obedience….If Jesus Parents weren’t spared, why do I expect to be? What am I thinking?
I’ll tell you What I’m Thinking: Life’s circumstances equal the favor or disfavor of God.
Absolutely not.
You know. The way I have talked about Mary and Joseph you might come to the conclusion that God’s hand was not with them, that his mighty blessing was not upon him. Not true – God’s walked closely with them and blessed them in a mighty way. God takes them out of impossible situations. Why? Because in spite of life’s bad stuff, God’s will for them was done. The same for you. In spite of all the stuff life throws at you, God’s will, will be done in your life.
Shannon – a good friend of mine, who had CF – short time before she died she knew death was coming. She realized, that for her, these are her thoughts, God put CF in her life to change her for good. For w/o CF she would never had such a wonderful life with so many wonderful people. That blew me away. How could anyone say that? All the pain, all the things in life she missed, and would miss. Maybe she was just trying to look at things the best way she could. Now as I reflect. I think she realized God’s will would be done in her life.
Spiritual Insight: God Does It – I Don’t
God’s way is probably never the way we would expect. God’s time never seems to fit our time.God’s blessing is not the same as what we think are blessings.
What do we think of as blessings?
Good health,
Solid relationships,
Close family,
Safe place to live,
And so on...
And they are, but God knows that is not what we are really looking for.
What we really seek, really seek is freedom and peace. A freedom and peace no matter what your circumstances, for it is not good circumstances that make a godly life, solid life, a life blessed by God.
The most remarkable thing about my friend with the CF was she was always in and out of the hospital. Always in pain, deprived of a long list of normal activities. She was the most free and peaceful person I have ever know. Shannon knew life’s circumstances do not mean God’s favor is with you.
People who are in God’s favor, do tend to have great difficulties in their lives. God will make it happen – I myself will not. The true blessings of God are deeper than we may expect.
Spiritual Results: Freedom.
It doesn’t matter what is going on in my life, I will not be bound by it.
Peace. It doesn’t matter what is going on in my life, God will follow through.
Psalm 130
7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
How do I make this happen? How do I experience the peace and freedom of Christ, even when my life is falling apart?
Left me end with this, For this is where we will pick up next week, This is a verse to live by, A spiritual key:
Zech. 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might
nor by power,
but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.
