A family member is killed. A spouse wants a divorce. A loved one is hooked on drugs. A partner ruins a business with an irrational choice. Cancer comes from someone’s bad environmental choices. A thousand other things could be listed of what persons in our network of family and friends can do that drastically affect us. This can hit us very hard. We pray. Sometimes the prayers go unanswered. Why do these things happen? God gives us freedom; God is love, the love of God does not permit Him to force the other person to do the right thing. Love can persuade, but love never forces. God lives with that. We have to live with that. Just remember, the One who had friends to forsake Him, false witness to speak against Him, and endured an evil cross, is the very One Who walks with us to mature us in our troubles.
“Love does not insist on its own way”. 1 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
