TGIDU - Chapter 1

HA! Do you like how I just posted letters and not the full title of my new book...at least not yet, anyways. (my mother-in-law probably thinks I'm trying to speak Japanese)
I didn't want to scare you away, but I did just finish the first chapter of my new book, The God I Don't Understand (Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith). Now don't frown or cross your eyebrows when you read the title! That's kind of what I did when I picked it up at Lifeway! However when I started reading, in the store, I realized this book is not exactly what the covered made me feel it would be, and for that I was glad.
So, before you judge my new book by it's cover, or title, you should pick it up yourself!
...Hopefully I'll still feel this way as I continue my reading!
Chapter 1 was great!
- The Mystery of Evil
Favorite lines from first chapter include:
..."Unquestionably, the Bible affirms that God is all-loving and all-powerful, and yet the Bible also describes the terrible reality of evil. What help does the Bible give us in holding these jarring contradictions together in our minds in such a way that, even if it does not give us an answer we can fully understand, it does give us a hope that we can fully trust? Or to put it another way: Whereas we often ask 'Why?' people in the Bible more often asked 'How long?' Their tendency was not to demand that God give an explanation for the origin of evil but rather to plead with God to do something to bring about an end to evil. And that, we shall see, is exactly what God has promised to do."
..."So I am willing to live with the understanding that the God I don't understand has chosen not to explain the origin of evil, but rather wants to concentrate my attention no what he has done to defeat and destroy it."

A lot of you are probably thinking...AMANDA...you should know this...evil is from the devil. Yes, the devil is evil...but were did evil originate?!?! The Bible doesn't say evil originated on this day in this way. The Bible does give us some details on the origination of sin and the Fall of the Angels...anyways I'm not going to concentrate on evil...however like the last line posted from the first chapter...I will focus my attention on what God has done to defeat and destroy it...AMEN!!!!!
...& I totally agree that instead of asking "Why" we should maybe focus on "How long"...because I know that my God will deliver me from whatever trials and tribulations I may face...so instead of asking "Why"...or really even, any questions...I will keep the faith and realize that this too shall pass and my God can conquer all!

~Amanda~