FAITH MAY NOT ALWAYS MAKE SENSE

Faith that expects God to make my life a smooth sail is both unrealistic and without any Biblical context. In both the Old and New Testaments, people of unshakable faith were subjected to some horrendous tragedies. Contemporary evidence abounds that even the most dedicated servants of God often experience the worst life can dish up. Such being the case, why would I even consider faith in God as a way of life. What's in it for me if I have no advantage over others who live a totally self-serving lifestyle?
Having had this conversation with literally thousands of men and women of all ages, I will admit that faith doesn't always seem to make sense. All people of faith have to face up to the difficulty of praying or trusting in faith when all seems bleak or even hopeless. It's one thing to sing and pray in trusting faith on Sunday but may be quite another deal on Monday if I am standing beside the hospital bed of my three year old who is fighting for her life following a tragic accident. I've been right there with a lot of great people who ask a lot more questions than I can answer.
If you are there now, struggling to believe, please don't give up, no matter what! Sit down in a secluded place, open your Bible to these words of David and think through it: "I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay." Psalm 16:7-10 NIV
Read it over and over and try to see your situation from God's perspective. Poets, preachers and song writers have given the world an endless stream of pretty words to encourage the brokenhearted and discouraged, but it still always comes back to the point of decision - to doubt, reject altogether or believe.
Although David's words are said to be about Jesus (Acts 2:25), they're also true of all people of like faith. Jesus provides us with the firm example of faith in the face of tragic circumstances but even he too cried out in frustration to the Father. The picture of Jesus drawn by the Spirit at Hebrews 5:7-9 should encourage all of us who claim faith as our lifestyle, even when faith doesn't make sense. HALLELUJAH!