Well, welcome back again to another podcast of Struggling Well. We're glad that you have joined in with us and It's a joy to come to you every week. some of you had asked and I think Suzi mentioned it in one of the past episodes that I am working on an audible version of the book Struggling Well with Life and I am. And it is harder than you think it is to do that recording. but Tim and I are working on it and we'll let you know when it comes out.
The good news is I will be doing interpretive dance in between each chapter. So stay tuned for that. that's going to be fun.
Yeah, I'm not quite sure how that's going to come across in an audible book, but we'll give it a shot.
I can make swishing noises. I don't know.
So, one of the things that has kind of come back front and center in my thinking, our thinking as I have done the book, as I've recorded some of the audible portions of it already is the issue of fairness in life
and I think it comes out of three underpinning demands that we have of life. First is this We want to be in control. Everybody wants to be in control or at least the illusion of control. And when that begins to break down, what's next for us is fairness. And I remember when we raised our girl Suzi, it was the whole thing of dad, that's not fair. And I would say, please say you're right. It's not fair cuz life's not fair. and then when fairness has its struggles, it leads to well then we want God to give us an explanation. Answer the question why. Cuz if you Well, give me an explanation, then I'll consider it and maybe it will be fair.
I have I've told you all this before, but the only social media that I'm on is Instagram and I don't say that even proudly, but I get pulled into stories about people's struggle and their suffering. there's a lot of noise on Instagram as there is on every outlet, but I follow people that especially kids that are going through struggles Well, I if God lays it on my heart to pray for them, I do. I don't know these people, but every now and then I feel like God has laid it on my heart to pray. And as I read people's stories, and they're amazing stories of wrestling with heart issues, childhood illness, even also with adults with illnesses and accidents and all sorts of things. But one of the interesting parts has been to read the comments that people make about the post and what I have seen through many many of these is the question of fairness. It's always if it's a child the question that the question is why God this isn't fair. if it's you know about a wife or a husband that is struggling the question is always why God this doesn't seem fair and why would a loving God allow this because it's not fair. So because our podcast is probably mostly listened to people that have a belief that God is father, Jesus is the son, and the spirit is the spirit of God. We're coming off of the same playbook. The Bible is what we refer to as our playbook. And I don't mean that in a demeaning way at all. It's where we get our answers for life and how to live life. So, how do we wrestle with the question of it's not fair? And I think that It doesn't humanly speaking to see a child suffering from anything does not seem fair because we tend to measure life as successful in its length. And so if a child is struck down by an illness, we say it's not fair. That's one pattern I've seen. And Jimmy, I want you to if you jump in a minute for that. The second pattern I've seen is that people will be praying, great people praying for the person in need. And the request is always put out, pray hard. Pray harder. More people. We need more people to pray. And that's an interesting concept, too. Would you respond on that?
Yeah. I think to the second one, it's we think we have the ability with our efforts to move or change the heart of God. and it's the same idea when people say, "If you only had a little more faith, that somehow it's dependent upon our efforts moving in to move the heart of God, which I don't think is a biblical concept. I think it's we're saved by grace. We're sustained by grace, and God's grace and mercy is not dependent on our efforts. we would certainly say that's true when it comes to the initial our initial point of salvation. Why is it any different as we continue on in the Christian life?
Well, why does scripture then say persevere in prayer?
Well, I it's a difference between I think there's a difference between saying persevering in prayer, which I believe in and saying pray harder. I think that those are two different things. One is the consistency of bringing the request before God. The other is somehow I can amp up the effort and it's going to get a different response.
I mean, if we pray harder, then God will all of a sudden go, "Oh,
yeah." As opposed to everything with prayer and supplication. I agree. It's the idea of consistency. Ask, seek, and knock. but it's not the effort in that doing it. there's no way that the phrase I used to use a lot when I was pastoring was we're not going to gang up on God. And yet I think we tend to think somehow human effort is an increased amount of my effort to change God's heart. And then I think the other thing is we lose sight of the fact that we're not the main characters in this story.
We're our stories fit into a larger story that God is telling. It's the meta narrative of scripture. that God created the garden in creation was the way things ought to be. Sin entered into the world. It's the way things are. Redemption came through Christ. But ultimately, the story is going to be complete when he returns and makes all things new again.
It's so hard to grasp that. And I and we I know it intellectually. I know that. But I probably like a lot of people I hear that and I yes it's completely biblical and but I struggle with Lord help me to understand the big story the meta narrative because I'm living life here on earth feet on the ground having to face all the different issues of this world and yet when I look at biblical stories and narratives about people that have gone through struggle I see that God says over and over again, he's pointing to something beyond. Always pointing.
Yeah. And you're right, in everyday life, it's hard to keep that perspective in mind, but I do believe that perspective is a perspective that will help me deal with the issue of fairness in this world. so we would encourage you as you go through life, everyday life, to first of all realize that God is walking every step of every day with you. He promises he'll never leave. He'll never forsake. Does he take us down paths sometimes that are confusing? He does. Does he take us down paths at times that we don't like? That's true. But there's a story that's being told that's a larger story that we fit into. We are not the main characters of this story. Jesus is. And
to jump in for a second, I also think it's important to go through scripture and read the stories of people that were alive and lived live full lives or short lives or whatever that had all sorts of issues that they had to face. And in Old Testament in particular, God keeps coming back and saying to his people, just obey me. Follow me. you are my people. I love you. I'll protect you. I'll provide for you. And the story for Israel was to show who God was in every aspect and character of God. And I know that it's hard for me in 202 five to realize that is part of the big story.
Yeah. And it was true for Israel, but it's true for us to show off Jesus in our everyday lives. So, we're going to stir things up. We don't answer a lot of questions, but we sure ask a lot of questions. Oh, boy.
Hope you have a great week.