The Why? - God's Providence Week - 1

​​Parents,
 
The holiday season is here.  This is a time when families get together and celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas.  But for some families, the holiday season can be rough because of the loved ones who aren't there.  This past week a high school senior at Edgewood took his own life, a member of our church passed away, and two of our students lost an uncle in a car accident.  This life is full of pain and full of sorrows. If God is good and loving, then why do bad things happen? Why?
 
We just started a new series in the youth called “The Why.” This series is covering the doctrine of God’s providence.  We define providence as God’s perfect power over everything for the purpose of Jesus.  What we mean by this is that the gospel has always been “plan A” for God.  God has an end game for your life and for the whole world. That end is for the glory of Jesus to be put on display. In John 17:1-5 we see Jesus about to go to the cross to pay for the sins of the world. In verse 3 Jesus tells us that the gospel lets us know God.  Evil had to happen so that Jesus could come and show us how loving, merciful, and graceful God is!  God has allowed sin so that we can see how amazing he is!
 
So, we can understand why God would allow sin but why do we have to suffer in this life? Why all the pain in losing loved ones? Why?  Romans 8:28-30 the Bible tells us that even in times of suffering all things work for good for those who love God. A lot of the time we can't see the good but in verse 29 the Bible tells us what the good is “to be conformed into the image of the Son.” When we suffer, and are obedient to scripture we become more and more like Jesus!  This is the end game for your life, that you would be conformed to the image of the Son glorifying Him!
 
Love you guys! Praying for You!
Trevor