"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
God doesn't allow bad things to continue in the world because he is uncaring... I think this verse illustrates this. God is longsuffering... allowing others to make choices and encounter the consequences, and suffer, and ... all of it, because he wants everyone to have a chance to repent. And not just one chance, but chance after chance after chance. We make bad choices as well, and although some people might want to stop some of the bad things that *we* do immediately, God allows us to continue... and it is for the same reason. He loves us, and wants to give us a chance. He isn't being a bad God up there letting the things that we do, or the things that others do happen. He is just trying to help us learn and grow and become better. Sometimes things seem extreme, and we wonder why anyone has to suffer them. Perhaps some of the things aren't quite as bad as we think, because we are scared of change and loss, and from an eternal perspective, those things are very temporary. Other things really are horrible, and seem intolerable, but still... God has a reason why he allows it, and no matter what it is or who it is, he will make things alright in the end. More than alright. Utterly healed or solved. We will all be whole and at peace.
Today, as we look forward to God's resolution, maybe we can use the in between time to be patient with the people around us who need to change... and maybe even take the opportunity to do some changing of our own. :)
2 Peter 3:9
God doesn't allow bad things to continue in the world because he is uncaring... I think this verse illustrates this. God is longsuffering... allowing others to make choices and encounter the consequences, and suffer, and ... all of it, because he wants everyone to have a chance to repent. And not just one chance, but chance after chance after chance. We make bad choices as well, and although some people might want to stop some of the bad things that *we* do immediately, God allows us to continue... and it is for the same reason. He loves us, and wants to give us a chance. He isn't being a bad God up there letting the things that we do, or the things that others do happen. He is just trying to help us learn and grow and become better. Sometimes things seem extreme, and we wonder why anyone has to suffer them. Perhaps some of the things aren't quite as bad as we think, because we are scared of change and loss, and from an eternal perspective, those things are very temporary. Other things really are horrible, and seem intolerable, but still... God has a reason why he allows it, and no matter what it is or who it is, he will make things alright in the end. More than alright. Utterly healed or solved. We will all be whole and at peace.
Today, as we look forward to God's resolution, maybe we can use the in between time to be patient with the people around us who need to change... and maybe even take the opportunity to do some changing of our own. :)
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