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Life Is Hard, but God Is Good
by Joni Eareckson Tada
Text: Psalm 107:1
Topic: Why God allows suffering
Big Idea: God has good reasons for what he does, and his answer to our suffering is himself.
Keywords: God, goodness of; Suffering
Introduction
- Illustration: Joni's high school hockey team lost the championship, but it comforted her to know Jesus understood her disappointment. When she broke her neck however, it was harder this time to find God good.
There are good reasons why we suffer
- All things fit together into a pattern for my good and God's glory.
- Hardships have forced me to make decisions about God.
- Suffering has done a job on my character.
- Being paralyzed has made heaven come alive to me.
- My thought life sure has been jerked right side up.
- Suffering has made me a lot more sensitive to people who are hurting.
But good reasons don't always meet our need
- Sometimes the pain seems to outweigh even the best of benefits.
- Illustration: Joni recounts one sleepless night she spent in the hospital, when her friend Jackie snuck into the room after hours, held Joni's hand and sang a hymn to ease the paralyzed woman's anxieties.
- This experience reminded Joni that God is good and he has good reasons for what he does.
Suffering hearts need a person, not an answer
- When we are suffering, we plead for our Father's assurance that everything will be okay.
- God gives us something better than a list of answers; he gives us himself.
Suffering comes to compel us toward God
- God allows us to suffer so that nothing will come between him and us.
- You can endure almost anything if you know God is right next to you.
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