“Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed, I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?”
Are you in that place where you are asking the “WHY GOD” kind of questions?
You are not alone, however, I encourage you to get back with God. Years ago, I used to be like that. I wondered why I will try to do everything right but still go through challenges all the time. At the same time, I saw people I knew very well who were wicked physically but there was not a single problem with them. It made me always think that I must have been doing something wrong that God was punishing me or maybe unforgiving sin was lingering within me. This dragged on for years, however, as I grew in the Lord my perspective changed.
In as much as sometimes this may be true, it is not always the case that one maybe walking in sin so God may be dealing with them. As a believer, saved by grace through my faith in Christ Jesus, I began to understand that God expects more from me because He has redeemed me by the blood of His Son. He desires to use me for His glory. It only makes sense for me to go through some challenges in life so that I can be shaped into His kind of vessel and testify when God delivers me. These challenges are the test I am expected to go through to be used by God at different levels. Majority of people that God will use must go through this kind of a journey. Ephesians 2:7-10 says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” For us to become God’s handiwork, we must be formed in Christ and for us to accomplish any good work, we must be tried in God’s furnace to prove our worth.
“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another”
When we go through difficult times in life, we should know that God is using that as a furnace to refine us, after which we will be tested again to ensure our worthiness. God will not attach His name to anything unworthy and His glory is very important to Him. He will never share with another. This is what the process of creating in Christ for good works looks like. The affliction shapes who we became in the office where God intends to use us. Let me give a practical example here. If one is called to be a greeter in church, one must go through the afflictions of unfriendly people. God will use that to shape a loving/people oriented character because a greeter meets all kinds of people at the door of the church. As one goes through these challenges there is a grace which enables one to walk by faith through those difficult paths, which basically is the training ground for the manifestation of the power of God. Therefore, when you go through problems in life, keep your eyes on Jesus and do not bother with the wicked or focus on the world you are in.
Habakkuk 1:13 says “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?” Here we see Habakkuk asking God why evil people prosper while the righteous suffer. If you continue to read to Habakkuk chapter 2, God answers him and he realizes that evil people do not prosper, not in the long run. However, it is always important to remember to ask God what He is trying to teach during that season of trial. Romans 8:28 says “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose”. Being called to do His work according to the purpose in His heart means He must shape us to produce the vessel that will fit the call and the purpose. When we pass through the challenges and do not give up, there is a testimony: what the power of God has done for us. It is our testimony that the Holy Spirit uses to connect and convict people with the word of God unto salvation and deliverance.
Do not envy the ungodly because you never know what God has for them. “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore, pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny” (Psalm 73:2-6, 16-17). The psalmist thought to himself he was suffering while the wicked were enjoying life. This placed him in a situation where he was falling away from grace and embracing sin. Maybe this is you. You are serving God yet, things are falling apart; your job, health, finances, marriage etc. At the same time, you can see how the wicked around you are prospering. It was only when the psalmist went back into the house of God that he began to understand the position of the ungodly. The dwelling place of God is the only secured place for mankind. Never allow somebody to occupy your seat. Trust God for the grace to go through your challenges victoriously.
May the Lord grant us grace to keep hold on to His word.
Prayer
Father I thank you for my salvation in Christ Jesus. I thank you Lord for saving me by grace and shaping me into a handyman for good works that will bring you glory. Open my eyes to see and accept my training ground where you are molding me to become more like Christ and become a vessel of glory for You Lord. Help me to dwell in your sanctuary at all times. Grant me the grace not to allow my spot to be taken by another in Jesus mighty name I pray. Amen!
Blessings
Ennette Heaggans