Why Do Christians Have Problems?

When things are going good, we forget we need God’s protection or that we need to return His love and attention. He may, gently or otherwise, send us a reminder that we cannot handle everything headed our way without His help. He yearns for our love and obedience. 

We’ve misbehaved, made a choice that carries a penalty which must be enforced, yet His promise is to go through our day with us, whether good or bad, easy or difficult, peacefully or in pain. He doesn’t punish us by sending trouble our way—the trouble we receive may be of our own making. “Do the crime. You do the time.”

Others, who don’t know God, are watching to see how we handle the same problems they endure.  God may use our attitude in time of trouble to get their attention. (Let’s try not to give them the wrong impression.)

In His greater plan, we may be bit players in His complex plan for someone else’s life. 

News Flash!!! None of us is the center of the universe, yet He is fully aware of every fleeting thought, our kindnesses, our failures, and all of us individually are the apple of His eye.

In order to grow confidence in His provision for us, He may allow Satan to test our resolve and faith, enabling us to exercise our faith muscles, strengthening our determination to fulfill His purpose for us without demanding He first explain before we consent.

We’ve forgotten we inherited Adam’s sinful nature. We do not live in Eden, folks. We live in a fallen world, where things go wrong, even if we’re not misbehaving. Our problems are not punishment; troubles rain on the just and unjust. (Once a man said this to me when he took away my job, along with several other unfortunate folks, and I thought at the time he didn't even look damp! But in God's time I was soon blessed with the best job I ever had and somehow, when I began work at the best workplace I had ever experienced, my bank balance was very like it was on that scary day two months earlier. God had been watching after all.) While Satan is free to wreak havoc in this world, evil exists and disease and there will be victims.

No matter what the reason for the tenor of our day, we must remember we are not alone. Our Holy Father is right beside us, His Spirit within us, to keep us from fear and failure.

It’s true this world is not fair but the next one is.

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

Psalms 139:16

Following Jesus, whether through blessings or burdens, has the same result: being conformed to His image.       (Romans 8:28-29).