“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” Psalm 53:1

“There is no God,” said Janice to her friend Marge. “If there was, my marriage would not have fallen apart, my mother would not have died of cancer last year, and life would not be so difficult.” Marge offered her friend a gentle smile and placed her arm around Janice’s shoulder.

“No, Janice, God is real. However, do you want to hear something funny?” Marge asked her sorrowful and frustrated friend.

“What’s funny?” Asked Janice as she lifted her head up.

Marge replied, “Why do people always blame God when things don’t go their way? After all, how do we know it’s not Satan causing the problem, or maybe even our own actions?”

“God could have stopped my mother from dying!” Janice snapped. “He didn’t have to let my husband leave me for another woman either!”

Again Marge gently smiled as she patted her friend’s knee. “Your mom smoked for thirty years, sweetie. Even when the doctor told her to stop because she was having trouble breathing, your mom chose to continue. I know you miss her terribly, but do you really think it is fair to blame God for the wrong choices she made?”

Janice shrugged.

Marge continued, “When Henry left you for another woman, did God tell him to do it, or was it Henry’s own decision?”

A tear rolled down Janice’s cheek as she whispered, “I guess it was Henry’s own actions.”

Marge patted Janice’s knee again as she replied, “That’s right, sweetie. Many of the hardships we go through in life are a direct result of our choices, or the choices of those near and dear to us. Sometimes their wrong choices or sinful behaviors end up hurting us though.” Marge continued as she reached for her friend’s hand and grasped it tightly.

“God loves you, Janice. He loves the sacred bond of marriage too, and I am sure it broke His heart as much as yours when you and Henry divorced. And, when your mom died, I am sure He understood your grief, and wanted to comfort you.”

Janice placed her hand over Marge’s, smiled, then whispered, “I feel like such a fool now. Thank you for reminding me that there are some things in life we just don’t have control of, and that just because bad or sad things sometimes happen, it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t exist.”

The two friends quickly gave each other a warm embrace.

Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2005 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of “Ecstatic Living: A Christian marriage manual and Life-guide”, “Son Salutations” and “Daily Contemplations”, which are a collection of read-one-a-day modern inspirations. For more information, visit www.MelanieSchurr.com