When God Speaks!

Question: "Does God use frustrations in life to awaken and/or punish us (Haggai 1:6, 9)?"

Answer: Haggai 1 contains two verses that clearly state that the sinful lifestyles of the Jewish people resulted in punishment or a lack of blessing from God. Verse 6 says, “You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

Verse 9 adds, “‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.’” In both verses, judgment was the result of disobeying the Lord. Is this true in our lives today?

The biblical answer is that there are some times when our struggles are the result of our sin, but not always. In fact, persecution or suffering can sometimes be the product of serving God. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy from a Roman jail, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

In addition, suffering sometimes serves as part of God’s plan for our lives. God said regarding the apostle Paul, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). James 1:2-4 teaches us to consider it joy when we encounter trials: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” The result of persevering through difficulties is spiritual maturity.

However, there are cases in which we may suffer due to our sin. God does discipline His wayward children (Hebrews 12:6). Acts 5 contains the account of Ananias and Sapphira, who died as the result of their deception, even though they were part of the church. Paul said that some of the Corinthians had been sick and a few had even died due to their sin when partaking of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:30).

The reasons we suffer are varied. It is unwise to jump to conclusions when the reason for a particular trouble is unclear. For example, sometimes people claim that a certain natural disaster is a judgment from God on a nation or a city due to its sinfulness. However, God does not tell us why natural disasters occur when and where they do. Rather than make such judgments, the appropriate Christian responses are to empathize with those affected (Romans 12:15) and to help meet the needs (Luke 10:25-37).
from: http://www.gotquestions.org/frustrations-in-life.html

My Footnotes: In my own life, I struggled a lot when I did not know anything about God. I did not know that in my own trials in life, it would eventually lead me to Christ. I sinned because I did not know the difference from the true meaning of right and wrong in the eyes of God. I did not know I was rebelling against God's commands. I based my actions in what society dictates. The results were circumstances or conditions painful enough to think that God was not there at all during those times. 

I had a wrong notion that when life was smooth sailing, God is pleased with me and I was okay with Him; and when life was unbearable, God is upset with me. What I have learned through the years of studying God's Word is that God loves me no matter what. God was constantly trying to lead me to seek for Him. And He does the same for everyone. The lack of knowledge to this Truth cancelled the experiences I could have had with a loving Father, who has the best interest at heart for me. 

Though God punishes or disciplines us on occasions, most of my struggles were caused by my wrong choices in life. Most of us, as we grow in years, do not have an instruction manual on how to live a successful and fulfilled life. Therefore, we go through life based on how this sinful world looks at success and fulfillment. Though they could help some, the instructions are short lived. They don't last. It's because we do it in our own strength. In actuality, whether we accept it or not, we need the guidance of the One who created us and created this world we are in and everything in it. 

Whether we believe this or not, God is not reachable when we are living in sin. Not that He doesn't want to, our sins put a barrier in our relationship with God. We need His Son, Jesus Christ, to cleanse us, to accept Him and surrender our own will to Him; that we can then know God for who He truly is. It is impossible to have a full knowledge and wisdom about God, if we do not humble ourselves to the Lordship of His Son. And the best and sure way to God's Truth and Wisdom is if we know His written Word, the Bible. If we make an effort of studying and meditating on what God has been saying about how to live in this world, we will see how we have missed out in so many ways in living a life without God in it. What is written in the Bible still applies to us today. God is unchanging and so does His Word to us.