My devotion this morning said this, "The more you experience Me, the more convinced you become of My goodness.  This knowledge is essential to your faith-walk........spend time enjoying Me and experiencing My goodness." -Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

There have been many times in my life as a Christian when I questioned God.  I doubted His goodness as a result of something terrible happening that made no sense to me.  That's human nature, I think.  One of the biggest questions about God is "How can a good and loving god allow bad things to happen?"  That's a good question in my mind and the bottom-line answer to me is, "I don't know."  I know that sin is ever-present in this world and that man often chooses to do harmful things to one another.  Some bad things that happen are simply a consequence of sin and man's poor choices.  As to "acts of God", they're beyond our comprehension (most of the time).  I think sometimes, God in his mercy and graciousness, gives us a bit of insight as to why something happened.  Most of the time, however, it has been my experience that I am simply to trust that I don't understand everything, but God does.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."-Isaiah 55:8-9  It dawned on me that there's no way we could understand all the why's and wherefore's of what God does and doesn't allow to happen.  Our pride, however, demands that we have the right to know.  What silly humans we are!  Does a child have the right to understand everything that its parent does?  Is a child even capable of understanding everything its parent understands?  Of course not!  Some things that the parent understands may even be traumatic for a young child to be exposed to.  I believe such is the case with us and God.  He is the parent and we are the children.  We often tell our children, "You'll understand when you're older."  Is that not true?  How many things that your parents said or did, were you not able to understand until you became a parent yourself, or at least an adult?  Think about a teenager who thinks he/she knows everything.  Don't they come across as arrogant?  I think so, and I've raised several teenagers, believe me I have some experience here.  I believe that we Christians (children of God) are much like teenagers.  We either think we know it all, or we think that we have the right to know it all.  We will not completely understand God until we are grown up in Him, perfected.  For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. -Philippians 1:6  We are BEING perfected, but we're not there until the day that we are with Christ.  "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." -1 Corinthians 13:12

I think that when we try to understand the reason for everything that happens, we are basically beating our heads against the wall.  We simply are incapable of seeing the big picture that God sees and, therefore, understanding all the why's of life on this planet.  Bad things happen.  Some caused by sin, man's poor choices, and all things are allowed by God - good and bad.  He IS the blessed Controller of all things.  If He exercised NO control, I shudder to think what this planet would be like.  The Bible tells us that God has a plan and He knows what He's doing.  It also tells us that one day sin will be destroyed forever and bad things will cease to happen.  Until then, there is a course that has to be run for reasons only God knows the intricacies of.  We can choose to enjoy our childhood, trusting in our good and loving Heavenly Father who works all things for our good, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28, or we can beat our prideful heads against the wall trying to be on God's level.  I think I will choose the former.  Focusing on His goodness and having faith the the Blessed Controller of all things knows what He's doing sounds much more productive and enjoyable.  I look forward to the day when I will "know fully" and choose to see this day as "This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalms 118:24.  I choose to relinquish control to The One who sees and knows all; trusting Him and rejoicing in His goodness.  It really does come down to a choice.  We have been given THAT right.  We get to choose.  What do YOU choose?