Freud Meets Jesus 2-2

Each of us will face trauma in our lives. Whether large or small, trauma is still traumatic. Last week, we talked about our God-given gift of free will and the truth that we don’t always choose right. As believers, we know that sin and evil can cause pain, suffering, and hurt. God grieves when He sees His children hurting. Isaiah 63:9 tells us, “In all their suffering, he suffered too.” In this, we see our suffering grieves Him; He suffers with us. How much? The psalmist explains in Psalm 56:8, “You, Lord, keep a record of all my sorrows. You collected all my tears in your bottle, and you list each one in your book.”

Even so, God will judge everyone justly. He is the God of justice, and a day of reckoning is coming. Last week, we read the tragic and traumatic story of Amnon and Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:1-20. In the end, God deals not only with Amnon, but also with his father, David. There will be a judgment day, and justice will be upheld by God. Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “God has appointed that every person will die and after that, they face the judgment.” We cannot escape it, God has set the appointment. We will face death, and we will then face God’s judgment and His justice.

Hebrews 4:13 points out, “Nothing can be hidden from God. Everything and all creation is exposed to His eyes, and each of us will give an account of our lives to Him.” Therein is the justice part of God. It is the very reason we need a Savior, because without Him all that remains is justice and judgment.

Even better is the truth that God can bring good out of bad if we trust Him. God specializes in bringing good out of bad. He specializes in turning crucifixion into resurrection. God took the worst evil in history and used the event to save the world. His Word, in Romans 8:28, tells us, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, for those who have been called according to His purpose.” God can bring good out of bad if we just trust Him. If you give Him the pieces, He will give you peace. This week, let’s take the pieces of our heart which have been damaged by trauma and evil, and give them to God to receive His peace.