A New Life
If you have made this commitment to Jesus Christ, he actually entered your life as the Holy Spirit who will reside in you forever. God has created a future world for those who trust in Jesus Christ where there will be no pain, suffering or death.
Yes, God could have made a world without evil and suffering. But his unfailing love, justice and righteousness were all demonstrated by his redemptive plan to include us in his family for all eternity. In that future world God’s Word says,
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4, NIV)
Here on earth suffering and evil exist. However, God is able to use our suffering to accomplish his purposes in our lives and in others.
Many have discovered that as we turn our lives and our will over to Christ’s care, he fills our hearts with peace that surpasses all understanding. He guarantees he will be our forever companion empowering us to handle life’s challenges together.
Such was the case with Joni Eareckson.
Joni was a beautiful seventeen year-old athletic teenager who had been enjoying a summer day with friends at a lake. Standing on the edge of her raft, Joni dove into a shallow part of the lake. The sudden jolt on her head severed her spinal cord, and Joni instantly became a quadriplegic.
One year earlier, Joni had asked God to help her go deeper in her relationship with Him. Now that all her hopes and dreams suddenly vanished, she wondered, “Was this God’s answer?”
Joni prayed intensely for healing, but she remained wheelchair-bound, a quadriplegic who would never be able to use her hands or legs again.
As the years went by, Joni began asking God to use her to help others suffering with disabilities. Today, Joni runs an international ministry which has helped bring hope and guidance to thousands of disabled people.
Not only has Joni accepted her disability as God’s will for her, but she embraces it. She says her understanding of suffering is captured in the following words: “God permits what he hates to accomplish what he loves.”
In other words, God uses the suffering and evil we experience in this world to draw us closer to himself and make us more like Christ. He also uses it so we can help and encourage others going through trials.
When we commit our lives to Christ, his Holy Spirit comforts and encourages us in our suffering and trials. He also brings meaning and purpose to our lives, along with the power to overcome sin and live for him.
And there’s more…
