Not everything is good
This is the transcription file of the podcast “Kiki and Ingrid – a young chinese woman meets Ingrid the singer”
Not everything is good
not everything is fine
But it serves to the good
For those who are loving him
and deliver him their heart
Everything is serving for the best
Often, I have hoped so much and it went wrong for me
I felt so disappointed, so empty and forgotten
Shall I really trust in him I asked myself in my heart
But in his word, he has promised,
that everything is for the good
Looking on my way of life with his eyes with his point of view
Makes all the troubles so small and unimportant
A light in the night is seen much brighter and more clearly
Every tear has its purpose and he loves to see me smiling
Open your heart for the living God who never gives you away
When you think he is sleeping, he is working for you
When the circumstances are so bad, he has everything under control
He is forming your life
Softly with his hands
Sister, how can we trust in God’s promises and guidance when our own experiences of disappointment and loss have left us feeling doubtful?
First of all, live does not only exist in disappointing and loss. It is like the weather: There are rainy and cold days and there are sunny days. It may happen, that we are at the moment in a very long rainy period of our life, but there we have to know, the sun shines anyway, high above the clouds. And God is there even we don t feel him.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15
What does it mean to see one’s life through God’s eyes and how can this perspective help us find peace in difficult circumstances?
We only see the little bit of way we walk through our life at the moment and we don t know, because something is so difficult at the moment. It may be a loss, or a person at work which makes life difficult, there are may things which the bible mentions as tests that we all have to pass.
Of course, we don t like it, when we have to pass a test, but when we are looking with the eyes of God, we see, that actually the test we are passing is serving for something good: That we will be more resistant in the future or that we will be mature and footfested persons.
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
Hebrews 10
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
In what ways can we recognize the purpose of our tears and how can we learn to embrace them as a natural expression of our faith?
It is normal, that we cry, when we are sad. And Jesus cried at the grave of Lazarus, too. We must not think, I am a believer, I have to be strong and must not cry. It is the opposite, we are allowed to cry and God is with us. He sees us and he converts sad times in something with a purpose.
When we have been sad and have cried, we can help those who suffer better, when we have come through our suffering.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2 Corithians 1
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
How can we cultivate an attitude of openness and trust in God, even when it feels like He is far away or not actively working in our lives?
When I am feeling sad, I am reading the Salmes. These are textes fill of prayers to God in good and bad times.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.Romans 8
The next thing is, that faith is no emotion. Emotions change every day, but faith is a conviction.
A conviction is always there and does not change in the ups and downs in life.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11
What does it mean for God to “form” our lives gently with his hands, and how can we recognize and appreciate the ways in which He is shaping us?
This life is just a pass-through. Our final destiny is heaven, the kingdom of God, and in heaven we will do an activity and taking a position.
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
2 Thess1
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
When we have to go through tests, there are two reasons. The first is, that Satan claims, that we are all tested for to see if we really are true and faithful Christians.
We can see it in the book of Job where Satan accuses Job for to be a believer only because the Lord is blessing him and the result is an extremly harmful time for Job.
In every life is such a test, even it is not so harmful as the test of Job.
The second reason is, as you said, that God is shaping us. In the bible we find the story of the pottermaker. In this story the profet says, that God is like a pottermaker and form each of us to the purpose he wants us finaly to be.
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
How can we learn to see the light in the night more clearly, especially during times of darkness or uncertainty?
We can take a very dark time: The time of the second world war. Many Christians tell, that their relationship with God was very intense in that time, because they were living every second confiding in him, because they did not have another choice.
They were dependent on him, that he saved their life, that he gave food and a lot of things that are “normal” in our everyday life.
We are often so weak in faith, because we are living so comfortable without any struggle on the material side.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
James 1
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing
Do you believe that everyone has the opportunity to prove their kindness and repentance before God in order to receive forgiveness and redemption?
It is written in the book of Job, that God calls every person at last three times in his lifetime to come to him and to repent.
Those who don t have a bible can find God because the law is written in their hearts.
There are often peoples in the jungle who never heart something of Jesus and God from another person. But when a missionary finds them, they witness, that they already know these things.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Hebr 11
Do you think that the definitions of good and evil may vary depending on culture, tradition, or personal beliefs within religious beliefs?
No, because all of us know what is right or wrong. The law is written in our hearts and there is an inner voice, that we all know which is teaching us. When we don t hear the inner voice the reason is, that we constantly disobey and do not allow this inner voice to talk to us.
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Romans 2
When a person is not obeying the bible and its standard of morality, the only reason is, that the person is living in rebellion against God in heaven. And God will punish that one day. He says people who are against him, will be victims of unmoral sins against their body and at the end he will punish them to go to hell.
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Romans 2
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
So, it is better to obey the inner voice and to listen, when God calls us.
