Struggling for Answers

 This past week, in Minneapolis, a man showed up outside of a Catholic Church and opened fire on those inside through the windows, after blocking several doors. Two children, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, were killed. Seventeen others, including 14 children, were injured. You've probably heard about his manifesto, his twisted beliefs, and his hatred of Christians and Jews alike.

It's been reported that the man was 'transgendered'. That's the term that used to describe someone who identifies as the opposite gender. Now, this isn't the main point of my message - but I think it's important to note something here. The reality is - Biblically speaking, God created us as 'male' or 'female'; we know this. A person can choose to live their lives as the opposite gender, but you can't switch from one gender to the other. That's not hateful, that's biology and Biblical truth.

Bottom line - a very confused, evil man committed a horrific crime, and now families are shattered and everyone is looking for answers. But there rarely are sane answers when someone commits such an insane act. And in lieu of any rational answers, when evil prevails and we're left with tragic loss - you might hear someone trying to make sense of it all by saying something like, "Everything happens"…

I. For a reason

We've all heard that. It's what we say when we don't have a better answer for someone who's desperate and hurting. And we understand the sentiment – it's meant to help; to offer comfort. When bad things happen – we want to know 'why' and saying 'everything happens for a reason' sounds like a compassionate thing - but I can't really find any Biblical basis to completely support that.

We do know this - from Romans 8:28 (NIV)...

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

And that is true. For those who love God - God will work in all circumstances, good and bad - to bring about good things. But that doesn't necessarily mean that all things are good or even that everything happens for a reason. God does do things for reasons that we might not understand – but sometimes, bad things, evil things - just happen. We live in a fallen world dominated by sin and its consequences.

Something I found interesting - some who aren't believers sometimes do a better job of dealing with 'bad things' because they don't really expect some Higher power to be working behind the scenes. Sometimes, when we simply don't have a good answer - it's okay to say, "I don't know why."

Bad things happen. My concern is that if, as Christians, we tell someone who's hurting after a tragedy that 'everything happens for a reason', they may misunderstand and then think…

A. Is God against me?

When something bad happens – if 'everything happens for a reason' that must mean that God caused this bad thing to happen..? When someone loses a job – did God cause that? I'm not saying that He didn't or can't, I don't know. – And maybe there even is a better job waiting for them.

But what about mass shootings? Did God need that evil act for His higher purposes? What about when someone's diagnosed with cancer? What about when a marriage falls apart? What about when a parent loses a child? Is that directly God's doing? Did God do that for a reason that we just can't see? I can't speak to God's hidden divine reasons - but I do know that God is not out to get us – bad things just happen and there's not always a good, rational reason.

But even then, we can know that we serve a God who can turn tragedy into victory. How will He bring good out of this horrible tragedy? I don't know since I'm not God. But I know He can...

- In the beginning, God created a perfect paradise in the Garden of Eden where nothing bad could happen - until you throw into the mix…

B. Free will

Adam and Eve didn't have to worry about bad things happening to them. They didn't have to worry about cancer or natural disasters or accidents – it was perfect, according to God's perfect will. But God did give them free will, and with it came consequences. I'm sure that we could have a lengthy debate over how 'free will' fits together with God's absolute sovereignty - but suffice it to say, it was God's Will to allow mankind to have the ability to choose to follow Him or reject Him.

After Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we find this in Genesis 3:8-11 (NIV)...

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" (10) He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." (11) And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

Everything there in that perfect garden did happen for a reason, a good, perfect, divine reason that brought blessing – until man's disobedience. Once Adam and Eve stepped outside of God's will – bad things happened, and they had to leave the garden.

Now I'm not trying to imply that any time anything bad happens to you that it's because of your personal sin. That's not what I'm saying. I agree with King David when he wrote this in Psalms 103:8-12 (NIV)...

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (9) He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; (10) he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. (11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; (12) as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

That is true – Now there's another thing, based on bad experiences, that people might be tempted to ask...

II. Does prayer really matter?

We know that God is ultimately in control and we know bad things happen - so what should we conclude if we pray and pray and pray about something, and nothing changes. We certainly wouldn't concede that we believe that prayer doesn't really matter – but what do our actions confirm about our inner beliefs?

I saw a video of the Minnesota Mayor right after the shooting. He was visibly upset and said, "Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying!" I heard reporters and commentators say, "Thoughts and prayers, I'm so beyond, so beyond that, that nonsense, the lie of that." - Now I know they're angrily trying to call people to action - but to insult prayer like that, as if it means nothing... That's what people who have no faith say.

However - the Catholic Church where this shooting occurred specifically issued a call for more prayer. They wrote, "Please lift up these families and these children in prayer and surround them and each other with your love during this difficult time." "In this time of darkness, let us commit to being the light to our children, each other and our community. We will rebuild our future filled with hope - together." Those are the words of people of faith who wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer!

The Apostle Paul instructed the Christians in Ephesus…

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

I know that most weeks I say the same thing, 'please take your prayer lists home and remember to pray for those things'. And I get it - it kind of becomes 'white noise' - but there is a reason I say it. Look at that verse - I know that describes the prayer life of some here - but does it describe yours? Do you pray regularly for the physical and spiritual needs in your life and in the lives of those around you? And if you don't - would it be reasonable to conclude that maybe you don't really believe in the power of prayer...?

A lot of people may fall into thinking that prayer doesn't matter all that much because, they may ask…

A. Doesn't God already know?

Some would question, 'Isn't God supposed to be omniscient? Was God surprised by the actions of the gunman in Minnesota? If I don't pray, does that mean God won't comfort the families of those who are hurting?' 'Since God is in control and God already knows what I'm going to pray even before I do – why do I really need to pray?'

Because the Bible says this in:

Romans 12:12 (NIV)...

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Colossians 4:2 (NIV)...

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)...

Be joyful always; (17) pray continually; (18) give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Yes, God already knows – but don't miss the point. The point is not that God already knows so we don't need to tell Him. Rather, the point is that since God already knows that these things will happen, He has provided a way for us to communicate with Him and get comfort and guidance and healing!

When we talk to God in prayer - we connect with God. We experience His care and concern for us and others. When we pray, our hearts turn toward Him and away from our problems and concerns. Prayer allows God to move through us as we submit to His will. Prayer does matter!

I've shared this before, but it's true - Christian author C.S. Lewis had this to say regarding his prayer life when his wife was dying of cancer. Reflecting on his 'wrestling matches with God' in prayer, he said, "I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping." But ultimately he found this about prayer; he said, "Prayer doesn't change God. It changes me."

God invites us to pray to Him for our benefit, not His! Yes, God knows our needs – but do we know Him, are we intimately connected to Him as the source of all our blessings?

Some might be tempted to think that prayer doesn't matter, again because of a bad experience - they question…

B. Why doesn't God answer?

It was pointed out, "These kids were literally praying!"

We've all had experiences where we pray for something and it seems that God just isn't answering. A loved one is suffering or has died; we're facing a crisis and have no idea where to turn; we're at the end of our rope and just can't figure out why God doesn't seem to respond. Why does that happen? I don't know.

So let's focus on something I do know – many times our complaint isn't really that God isn't answering, we're frustrated because God isn't answering the way we want Him to answer - or on our timetable.

I've heard this bit of wisdom many times - but it was from Tom Weissert that I heard it first. "Sometimes God removes pain from the person. Other times God removes the person from the pain."

I found the following from an unknown author who I thought expressed it pretty well.

"The power of prayer does not flow from us. The power of prayer comes from God. Prayer places us in contact with Almighty God, and we should expect almighty results, whether or not He chooses to grant our petitions or even deny our requests. Whatever the answer to our prayers, God is the source of the power of prayer, and He can and will answer us, according to His perfect will and timing."

The Apostle John wrote this in 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)...

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (15) And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him.

One reason that God may not be answering our prayer the way we think it should be answered – God has another plan. And God's plans are always better than our plans. And this is where faith comes in – do we trust Him enough to believe that His plans are better than our plans? Do we trust Him enough to know some things that we can't? And are we still willing to follow Him - whether we hear His answer or not - no matter what...?

Prayer does matter and when we seek Him – He will answer in His way.

So What?

What we believe does make a difference in how we think and act. What we believe about how God works and the power of prayer – that makes a big difference in how we deal with everyday life as well as the tough times. We will not have all the answers to everything in this life, but we can be assured of this from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)...

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (17) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (18) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.