Stupid Apple

This morning I was able to teach 3rd graders the reason we were created (to praise God, Psalm 139.14). There are many other verses in Scripture that tell us that this is why we were created.
I’ve also been pondering hurt, pain, and the reality of sin today. It has also been a topic of conversation over the past few weeks with a dear friend.
Why will we never understand pain? Why will we never understand death?
Here is my answer: we weren’t created for it.
Setting: Garden of Eden.
Personality: Sinless Adam and Eve. Walking and talking, praising God, animals named, life going along just great.
Enter: Serpent. Apple (or some thing Eve ate). Lies. Mistrust.
Stupid Apple.
Yes, I know it wasn’t the apple’s fault.
God in his all-knowingness knew this was going to happen when He created. (Because of His eternal nature, He already knew Jesus was going to have to come die as well).
So…why doesn’t death and pain and hurt and disappointment and mistrust and ________ make sense to us. I don’t think we were designed for it. We were created (originally, before sin) for a life of relationship with our Creator. We failed. Enter sin and death.
So, when pain and hurt and disappointment come you can do a couple of things:
1. Learn from it.
2. Shut it out (close off your heart and emotions).
3. Trust God with it.
4. ___________

What do you do with hurt and death? Is it easy or hard for you to see and acknowledge God’s working in it. For me – it depends on the situation. I’m usually one of the first people to say something about God and theology and He is in control, etc. Sometimes, I’m not.
Praising Jesus for the work of the gospel in my heart today. And not loving the pain.