Ep 26 - Why Does God Allow Evil?

We tackle the challenging question of why a good God allows evil and suffering in the world, exploring the tension between divine goodness and human freedom.

• Free will is essential for genuine love to exist—God gives us the freedom to choose good or evil
• Sin is sin in God's eyes—we shouldn't measure some sins as worse than others while minimizing our own
• Hurt people hurt people—many who cause harm are themselves crying out for love they've never received
• Instead of just praying for protection FROM harmful people, we should pray FOR their transformation
• Our struggles with patience and forgiveness reflect our ongoing journey toward Christ-like love
• God's apparent "inaction" is actually divine patience—giving everyone time for redemption
• We're called to be lights in darkness, even when we struggle with our own imperfections

Remember, Elohim isn't surprised by the evil in this world—He's patient, giving everyone time to turn to Him. Continue to pray for those who hurt others, recognizing that we all need His grace equally.

Transcript

Why Does God Allow Evil?

SPEAKER_02 0:07

Hey guys, welcome to Unfiltered Christian. I'm Shay.

SPEAKER_04 0:12

Cece And today it's my question. So tossed up between two questions here today. Um but let's roll with this one. So why do you think I have to say why do you think? Because I was I'm gonna ask the question in general, but maybe you can decide when I ask it whether it's an opinion thing or whether it's um a general answer that you can give.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

So why does a good God because we know God is good allow evil to happen? Or bad things to happen. Um I can only answer this for myself. That's what I was saying. Um maybe some would agree, maybe some won't. Um okay, so why does he allow bad stuff to happen within the world?

SPEAKER_00 1:38

For my personal, I've always had this question, like sometimes, you know, like when you see like hurricane or tsunamis or you think that like you know yar can stop it or you know, we don't have to go through this, but unfortunately we were born into sin um through choice, and our yar gives us choice, he gives us freedom. We can either do good or we can do bad. And unfortunately, um due to life experiences, whatever people may be going through, they choose to do bad things. And until what's the word I'm looking for? Until he comes back again when everybody finds out who he is, then that will be done no more with. But it does hurt to see loved ones dying, to see people around the world like starvation, wars, um world traumas.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

And I believe that he's hurting as well. Side question, um, or follow-up question, should I say Do you think that um And I have one thing that I would say, like Yah doesn't force us to do good.

SPEAKER_00 3:05

Love must be chosen freely even though freedom allows us to do wrong, but there's consequences for our actions.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

So do you think there's anything that we can do then to help what's happening?

SPEAKER_04 3:28

Do you think any of our efforts can contribute to helping those things or stopping those things from happening?

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Most definitely. I will I will use um I only know the South African word here because I've got apartheid in my head. However, um let's use Martin Luther King. Um Dr. Martin Luther King, he grew up in oppression. Um, if he didn't fall, because he fought with peace, yeah, he didn't fight back with love for black people to get to where they are today, even though it doesn't seem like we got too far, but he had a dream that one day little black boys and little black girls would be playing together and laughing together. If he didn't march and if he didn't do all of those things out of love, not fighting, like that was one of his things that he said when we're marching, we're not gonna fight. If they attack us, if they let dogs after us, we're not gonna fight back, we're gonna do this to show that this is peace. And I think if we continue with how Yah has trained us to be, which is to be loving and kind, and you know, the narrow path is not easy. He said that we'll be persecuted for his name's sake, and we're aware of this. So if we was all meant to come together, not turn a blind eye, like especially the world that we live in now, the world that we live in now is very self, it's like, oh, that's not my child, that's not my problem. Turn the other cheek. Um, and I think that's why the world is getting how it is today. However, with with that being said, we know that it's gonna get worse before he comes. So I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 5:12

Yeah. The reason why I like this question, both of them, is because I feel like there's a lot of people, whether Christian or not, that struggle with these questions. I feel like there's a lot of people that feel like, why do bad things happen? Like if there is a God, you know, like you hear that question a lot. Like, if there really is a God, why are all these things happening?

SPEAKER_02 5:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:36

Um, and I I don't think I've ever thought that question, but I've always thought that like um, not if there is a God, because I've always known there is one, but it's like, why do these things actually like happen and stuff? But it it has to come in time with your relationship with him. Um, and then I I finally accepted that okay, this is written in the word, these are the things that has been prophesied, and um, you know, from from sin, when sin started in the world from the beginning, um, in the Garden of Eden, um, from that point forth, we would have different types of turmoil. So I think that's where I became more at peace with things. I think where I still struggle is because I know that I don't pray about stuff as much. Because I'm like, well, like God said it's gonna happen, right? You know, like so I don't really pray about because I don't know what to pray. Do you know what I mean? Because it's like, do I am I praying to stop it? Um do I pray for peace? Um, it's like sometimes depending on the situation, like you don't know what to pray for. Um and I'm trying sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't know what to pray for. So I feel like I don't focus on those world issues enough because I just feel like I know that Elohim said that this is inevitable, like these things are gonna happen, we are gonna have these things. Obviously, like you said, it's very sad to see people losing their life in such a horrible way sometimes, and even now there's this whole thing happening back home in my country. Um, in regards to I to be honest, I don't even really know the story properly.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

Um the little girl that was killed.

Freedom, Choice and Consequences

SPEAKER_04 7:30

The little girl, yeah. I don't really know because I'm I don't I'm not on socials to even see it. Um someone told me about it, and um, it's causing riots and all these things, and I don't know. Um sometimes I feel desensitized because it's just hard to process, um even as a Christian and trying to think like you know, you know this gonna be better. Um, but in the in the in the moment of everything happening, sometimes you just don't know how to process. Well, I don't know how to process it at times. Um, and it is tough, and I just feel like um I get it for all those who are just like, you know, why? But the why part, I'm past that why part because you know, we are in a sinful world, we're born into a sinful world. Um, we ourselves are the ones that sinning and choosing to sin. Um, and that is why the sin just intensifies, um, I would say, and uh the things that people are doing behind closed doors, it's not even just what you're seeing, but it's the things you can't see that's even more dangerous as well. Um, you don't know what people are cooking up literally um behind the the doors. Um and that's the tough part, you know. There's a spiritual world out there that we literally cannot see, and it is a warfare and there's a fight, um, and that's why things are happening. And um, it's just about feeding your spirit and educating yourself in the word and um having that understanding. But I did see that question come up like in a um podcast that I listened to, um, it's a Bible study, and she was just saying, like, you know, it came up in a scripture that she was reading, and she was just like, it doesn't mean we don't pray, and I feel like that was a check for myself. Like, it doesn't mean you don't pray about it, it doesn't mean you don't give it to God, and like you said, He is hurting. Um, but for me, sometimes it's just trying to find the words um of what to pray.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

I also like it's so funny that you said that because this week um I've been intrigued about um I can't remember what it's called, but it's the temple where people where Muslims go to in Saudi um and they walk around. They have like a religious um ceremony. And I Googled if any Christians live there. And um they said Christians do live there, but it's very dangerous for Christians. Um they're not allowed to like even carry a Bible or they're not allowed to be even seen worshiping because it could be like a prison sentence because it's a Muslim country. And so there you don't have freedom, like people have to, you know, worship in secret without being caught. And it brings me this to like if Yah stopped every bad thing instantly, he would have to override human choices completely, and that would mean like no free will. But love can't exist without freedom. Yar allows people to choose because we all have a choice. Even when choices hurt others, because his goal is not control but transformation through our relationship, which you said, like having a relationship with him, we are transformed. Like sometimes you hear so many people give their testimonies that you know they were a murderer, they was this, they was that, they did this to people, that to people, like now they wouldn't even hurt a flight. And like sometimes that Yah intervenes when we don't even realize it. Other times we see miracles when things were meant to go left, like he intervenes, so he does intervene, but it's not all the time because then we won't have freedom of choice. And sometimes there's silence, you know. There's many times we pray for things and they're silence. But his word says he's always working behind the scenes, even when we can't see the full picture, delay delayed justice isn't denied justice. He has an appointed time for everything. And then one thing that I was reading the other day, um, because I've been reading about her um in Revelation 21 4. Um it promised a day is coming when he will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death and pain and evil will be no more. Right now we live in tensions between Yah's patience, giving people time to turn to him and his coming judgment.

SPEAKER_04 12:32

Yeah, it's it's funny, it's funny you brought that up actually, because it triggered something that I've been reading.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Um, before you say that point, another thing is one thing that we you can ask yourself to all of those who say, like, why do bad things happen? Yah could have saved his child from dying on the cross, but he didn't. Um so when we look at certain things that he had to watch his son get beaten and knelt to the cross and all of that, he could have stopped that.

SPEAKER_05 13:06

Right, right. But that sacrifice was made for us. Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_04 13:15

Um don't know if I've lost my train of thought ever so slightly, but it was what you were saying in regards to um the people who are do well, I can't say let me not say that, let me rephrase that because all of us are sinners. Um sin's a sin. Um but um I was doing a reading with Little Man, and um I learned a lot from his readings, you know. Sometimes it hits harder than what when I'm trying to read the scripture, but it was talking about what a heathen is, like explaining what a heathen is. I was like, oh um you know, and like simplifying it in a in a child's version. Um, and um which I liked because it just was nice, but then also talking about the fact that God loves those heathens, yeah. He still loves those heathens just as much as he loves every you know, everyone else, he loves all his children, and um I don't know, like I know that, right? I do know this, but just hearing it said in that way, sometimes the way something is phrased to you can hit different.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

I think we don't know it. I think you know, we was brought up because again, like your household culture and stuff has taught you different. It's like a good point. Yeah, you know, like when if somebody murdered somebody or did something horrible, like if they got beaten up or if they got that we'll be like, Yeah, good, you deserve it. Like the Bible even talks about that. The Bible says that we shouldn't even be doing that. Um I need to find that text. So we have to we're unconditioning our mind, yeah. So it's like we're trapped between like, oh, good, or or like you know, when you hear people say, um, like we have a we have uh uh a gentleman in our church, his son was murdered, and he was basically saying that he wanted to love the boy, and many people look at him like, Why would you want to do that? He murdered your son, but that is how Yah wants us to be.

SPEAKER_04 15:26

Yeah, that struck a chord for me um as well, because I realize today that I'm not setting a good a good example for my son in regards to the way I react to situations. Um I'm not because he's been small for so long, he's now at the stage where he is sponging things more, like, so he is soaking in things much more easier and quicker than I have been prepared for. So, like, you know, before I could have conversations around him, and it was cool because he wasn't picking up everything, it was more like physical actions and stuff that he was watching, and now it's like what he's hearing me, and like now I saw him.

Seeing Beyond the Sin

SPEAKER_00 16:22

You think he's watching TV, but he's listening.

SPEAKER_04 16:24

You know what I mean? No, but it's like no, but I I no I am wrong. I am wrong, I'll admit to my sins because I was having that conversation in front of him because I was talking to somebody in the bus, right? And um, I just saw that he he's now getting off complain, he's basically complaining the way I'm complaining, and I'm like, I'm wrong, and then I'm trying to tell him, like, you're listening to grown-ups conversation, but I'm wrong. Do you know what I mean? So, how am I telling him not to complain that way when I'm complaining? Do you understand what I'm saying? And I should have set an example to be like, because basically, we had a bus driver and we've had her two days in a row, and she has been reckless, like for a bus driver, like she's doing the most. Um, and in the moment of yesterday, when I got on the bus with her, I should have just done what I did more than once because she was doing a lot of things that was just like really strange. She's shouting at people in the bus, she's shouting at people's kids, like she was doing some stuff that I was just like, wait, this is too much for the morning. And she made us late yesterday because of like all this back and forth she was doing with people. Um, and we were late for our next part of the journey because of all of that, because of all the delays in the bus. But I was constantly complaining, and there was only one point in that in that journey in that journey that I said, God, whatever she's going through, please be with her. And it's like that's the mindset I should have had throughout the whole time, not the complaining part. So now he's picked up the negative instead of the positive.

SPEAKER_00 17:59

Okay, so he was complaining with you, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 18:02

So now man's getting off the bus today going, oh my gosh, that bus driver, she's so rude. We should call the police on her. And I'm like, Whoa, calm down. Like, you know, kids. And I'm just like, no, no, Shay, this was wrong. This was wrong, you know. And now I'm gonna have to like, after now, even doing this recording right now, I'm gonna now have to have a conversation with him later and explain that mommy was wrong. I should have not been doing that because she's still God's child, and I don't know why she is the way she is, but it's not correct for me to be participating in talking about her, and that's a bad example I set for you. And I'm gonna say that straight because it wasn't correct, and I'm not perfect, and he has to know, and um you know, it's it's just remembering that, like, like we like with what we're saying here, no matter what people are doing, I'm also a sinner, and trust me, I'm saying this, it's it's hard for me to say it because trust me, that lady got my nerves. She really did. Um honestly, like, I'm just ooh, but it's it's just I have to digress. I have to digress because at the end of the day, I could I could be doing stuff that's getting on people's nerves too, and I don't even know it. Um, and it's not my pin.

SPEAKER_00 19:24

That's what I was gonna say. I was gonna say it's our lifestyle and the way how we are can people could sponge and think things just the same way how children can. Like, yeah, like our our lifestyle and our book should always represent ya. It's hard, yeah. Um, but you know, like somebody like I always remember um Carol from church said to me, because I used to have bad road rage, but she was saying to me, imagine one day like you're shouting at somebody, even I'm not whining down my window, but I'll be like and she's like, Imagine if one day like that person comes in on Sabbath, like as a visitor, and I was just like and that's always stuck with me.

SPEAKER_04 20:10

Yeah, I've never thought about that, you know. I've never thought about that. That's such a good point. There's a very there's a very I love that that's gonna stick with me. That is gonna stick with me, and you know what? I have had instance where I've come across people in the most strange situations, like especially recently, like I'll see them and I'm like, oh my gosh, do you know what I mean? Um I even saw I saw someone, I was at the bus stop and I literally saw like two members of like the church just driving past the bus stop. And I was on the phone going, no, no, no. Do you know what I mean and imagine if I was there at the bus stop just being reckless, like talking completely out of character, right? Yeah, and that's what I said to the person on the phone. I was thinking, what is the odds that I would see those people driving past me? I didn't even know they were there, didn't even have to wind down the window, I couldn't see. They could have just thought, oh my gosh, like imagine this is the person I see every week, and look at her in the weekday. Do you know you know what I'm saying? Yeah, like she is different. Um, you know, and like like you said, we are a reflection, we are a light. Um we are a light, and I have to keep reminding myself of that. And I feel like these days, um, I need to pray about my peace because I feel like I've lost my peace, and I feel like that is old characteristics I'm seeing of myself, and I don't like it. I don't like it. And I really do thank Elohim that I'm recognizing that because the old me would not have. But it's it's agitated me because I'm like, I'm disappointed in myself because I feel like I've come so far and I'm allowing these old characteristics to come out, and I and I don't, I really don't like it. So I really need to pray about it because it's just. I don't know if we've spiraled from the subject here, but um it's just not correct because I'm I'm always praying to be a light and to be the right example for others, forgetting that there's someone right in front of my face looking at me every day. So even when we are seeing people doing what they're doing, we need it like you said it's hard, but we really need to work hard at trying to be that light in this world of darkness.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah. Cause I feel like a lot like quote unquote bad people, we're gonna put it in quotations.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:40

A lot of them don't have love. Like when you watch documentaries or you hear things, you know, they didn't have love that they look they look for it in the the wrong places. Yeah, and you know, hurt people, hurt people, like people that are hurt hurt people. And all they want is love. And if we as Yah's children like love on them, they can be loved too. Don't give up on them. Because sometimes, you know, whoever those people are, maybe their families had enough. Um, but then there's people around, you know, y'all use us in ways that we don't even know, like brings people to you that you don't even know, you know. And it's for us to to help them. Um because um there was even I was watching uh a documentary. I like a lot of murder shows I do. And um I was watching one woman who's doing life and she helped her ex-boyfriend to kill her cousin because she had to it was either he was gonna kill her children or she had to help and he dug holes with for her children to say if you don't help me do this and so if this is too much information for people, but it's just certain things like that. Now you've got a lot of people that like a lot of her family's turned against her to be like, How could you kill your cousin for your boyfriend? Not knowing the implication because she didn't and and because they're Spanish, you know, like they they believe in loyalty, so it's only when she couldn't talk because she was her husband well, her partner was in a mafia gang, and she couldn't talk because her children will get hurt, and it's only now that years has gone by she's talking about it, but her family feel like you killed your cousin, you chose your partner over your family, and you know And they still feel that way even though she's now confessing.

SPEAKER_04 24:53

I don't think they didn't talk about that because she didn't talk about prison. Okay, yeah, fair enough.

SPEAKER_00 24:57

Okay, but it's just I was just using it as an example that sometimes people are put in situations and they're just labelled as a bad person, yeah um, but their hands were tied, and even if their hands wasn't tied, you know, like I always say, like, let's use R. Kelly. Um he's in prison. We don't know, like, there's so many people that are saying he's a pedophile, he's this, he's that, and yes, he's he's now paying for what his what he's done.

SPEAKER_05 25:24

What he's done, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:25

But we don't know if he's got on his knees and said, Yeah, forgive me, and then yeah's forgiven him, but still people on that outside.

SPEAKER_04 25:33

Yeah, someone said that to me the other day, actually, even regards to him. Um, and once again, I didn't respond very Christian-like to that. Oh Lord, got a lot of work to do. Um, because they were saying that to me as well, like, you know, because you know, they've said that he's brought out these gospel songs and stuff, and like she was like, Oh, have you heard it? It's quite nice. And I'm like, uh, yeah, I don't know. I wasn't like, I guess I was negative, but I wasn't, I wasn't like, I wasn't going hard on him or anything. I was like, I'm not sure, but like, you know, but she actually came to me and said first, you know, what I should have been thinking in the first place, is that you know, you don't know what he's what he's repented, and he's asked for forgiveness, and like a lot of people genuinely feel these songs that he's putting out is because he has repented, um, you know, that he has turned his life around. But I just yeah, I just yeah, I need to. There's work to be done. I'm not perfect. There's a lot of work that thing in the back of my head. There's still at the back of my head, I still feel like, uh yeah, but there's a but for me, you know?

SPEAKER_01 26:41

And that's just me being honest. Just being honest.

SPEAKER_00 26:44

And in our last podcast, yeah, when we spoke about the things that y'all's coming back for, um, they're up there too. So you did, you know what I mean? Like we don't think of it like that. Like we look at murderers, rapists, and all of them. We look at we put them on a higher level, but then what we're doing behind closed doors is just as bad.

Humility in Judging Others

SPEAKER_04 27:11

I think I need to walk in more humility. I don't think I walk in enough humility because, like you said, like that takes, I think for me, what you said takes humility. Like, if we all really walk in humility, we'd really realize that you are on the same level as those people. Yeah, and it's like it's because the world has um measured sin. Yeah. So because the world has measured sin, we now have to undo that mindset to be like, yeah, like, oh my gosh, how could you do that to me? But it's like, well, you know, you you you're on the same level. Um so I think it's that whole thing of like we we still need to work on not measuring sin. To be like, yeah, that is worse. Like I would have never done that, and it's like, and I still I think I still struggle with that. The fact that, like, even though you know what the Bible says, and you know that Elohim said this, like you know, knowing something and processing something and believing it is two different things. It is two different things, and I realize that I'm at a stage where okay, I have knowledge which I've prayed for for so long, but I have not prayed for I guess acceptance of this information. Yeah, um, or I'm not walking enough faith of it, whatever whatever that specific word is, or it could be numerous words at this point, but I have not like taken that in for real that he has said it, and I've lost my train of thought. I don't think I should continue that sentence.

SPEAKER_00 28:49

My brain we all we all deserve forgiveness, like we all we want to be forgiven. So despite what people have done, we need to forgive because you made me think about that. I don't know what colour she was, but there was a story many years ago about a British woman who went over to the jihad, I believe, and she had children out there, and they were like basically I think I heard about her. Yeah, calls it like part of the Al Qaeda. That's the only thing. I know it's not Al-Qaeda, but you know, she wanted to come back, like she had a miscarriage, she's lost children, and she wanted to come back and they revoked her British rights. And a lot of people saying, Oh, it's good, you she she knew what she was doing, like, don't bring her back because they were scared of her coming back just in case she tried to recruit other people, or like they brainwashed her, but she was in a refugee camp, and in that moment I thought to myself, ruh, are we really like saying life doesn't exist? Because yeah, she made the choice, but now she's saying I don't want to live that choice. But people's like, No, no, no, stay where you are. But if that was our family member or somebody, we wouldn't, or even our we wouldn't want that. And it just made me think like, Wow, um, this is the world that we live in. But again, Yah gave us freedom of choice, and I think freedom of choice is difficult because we can choose either to be good or be bad. But unfortunately, when when bad comes, yes, we are hurt, but we are also called to forgive at the same time. And when I was younger and I used to, like I said, I like watching these murder shows, and I used to see so many mothers saying, I forgive you, or going to visit the person who killed their son or daughter in prison. Yeah, I used to be like, She's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

But now I get it.

SPEAKER_04 30:54

I feel like that um church member that you're talking about that also said that he loved, like he he has love for those oh he wanted to show love to those boys, sorry, that um killed his son. Huh boy, I pray to get to that point before Elohim comes back. Like this is the time we need to be that way now. Like, I really do, because that is a lot. That is a lot, and I feel like it's a lot of us can say like, yeah, do you know how you know some people might come and say like yeah, I can do that until it happens to you, then you'll really see if you can do that.

SPEAKER_00 31:40

But I think it's also the thing as like we don't deny our emotions, we do what is correct, you know.

SPEAKER_04 31:48

Okay, so that's that's a that's a good subject. There's a balance, okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:51

So it's kind of like I feel like if you lost somebody tragically by somebody else, you're hurt, like that person has taken away my child, my auntie, my sister, whoever, my my best friend, whoever it is. However, when you have a strong relationship with you, yeah, you're gonna question like the whys, the what, the whatever. But it's about because you're praying and you're praying for the the person who did what they did, it's kind of like you could see because even with him, what he was when I went to a church thing, he was saying that when he was in court and the boy was laughing at the fact of his son wasn't gonna come back. Like he said that he felt like he was angry that he wasn't getting angry because he should get angry as a father, but he was like, Okay, good.

SPEAKER_04 32:47

That's what I was gonna ask.

SPEAKER_00 32:49

He saw like her and a lost, a lost boy that just needed love. And we also know that we fight against spirits and principalities. So while we're also seeing like uh yeah, you know, he's not seeing flesh, he's seeing like this there's a spirit in this young man.

SPEAKER_05 33:06

There's a spirit there, mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 33:08

Right. And that's exactly what I was gonna ask. That's what I was gonna ask. Because in that moment that you're having this humility, yeah. Are you saying to me that you're not gonna feel anger, you're not gonna feel hurt, you're not gonna feel frustration? Because that's where that's where I feel like I struggle because people make you feel like you can't feel those other things. Yeah, like you're not meant to. You should just be like this person that's just so perfect. Like, you know, like I forgive them. It's fine. Like, I'm okay. Do you know what I mean? And it's like no one speaks of the reality of it. Like, like you said, all those other things. So I can still come in the end with humility, like um the person you're speaking about now, to be like, do you know what? Actually, like I I actually at the I'm hurt and I'm angry, I'm annoyed. Like, I can't believe this person is laughing, but then he's like, rah, I see beyond that. Because of his relationship with Elohim, he can see there's a spirit there, like there's something not right. Do you understand? Um, and then he can have that humility to be like, wow, I wish I could show that person love. I had another question though, in regards to this love. You know when you can see someone is hurting, and like you said, they hurt people, hurt people. So they're hurting people because they're also hurt, right?

SPEAKER_02 34:31

What do you do when the love you show is not working? Continue to pray. Because only yarn can move them.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

You know, like we ourselves, when we're unconditioning ourselves or whatever, whatever years of work that we have to do, it didn't take us a day, a week, a month. Some of us, you know, we're still walking with y'all, but we're we're still struggling with whatever it is. So sometimes we look at other people and we compare ourselves, like, oh, I got through that within blah blah blah blah blah. So, you know, why can't they get through it? We we begin to like give them a monitor. And that is timescale, yeah. Yeah, and that is where we go wrong, and we can just pray for that person because only ya can help them. Maybe they're not ready yet, maybe they're not like we're all on different levels, we're all on yeah, with y'all, and maybe they're not there where if that person is hurting you or whatever it could be, maybe they like because sometimes you know, like we use the analogy of the radiator back home, like they will say the radiator's hot, but you don't know it's hot until you you touch it, and maybe they haven't been touched yet for them to get why they're hurting you or why, but you just gotta continue to process that's deep.

Being a Light in Darkness

SPEAKER_04 35:58

No, don't roll over that. That was deep. Do not roll over that. Whoo-hoo, that hit me. Maybe they have not been touched yet. Whoa, that hit me hard. That hit me hard. I didn't mean to have one of those podcast moments, but that was that was a gem right there. That hit me. What? Jeez, guys, if you don't get a word today, that was it. Because that was a word for me. That hit me hard.

SPEAKER_01 36:28

Okay, sorry, sorry, sorry, that was deep. That was so good. Wow. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 36:38

Because we all have to be touched for us to change. We just we we just don't change. You know, it could be a person, a thing, a situation. Like I use myself, like my like as I said, my sister's passed away. I wasn't talking to my dad. It had to take my sister passing. For me and my dad to be talking once a week, that's not normal. I haven't spoken to the man in five years. But my sister's death has touched me, it's moved me.

SPEAKER_04 37:15

And I know that was tough for you because uh that's definitely not a decision you would have taken before. Yeah, it would have been too much for you. And like, nah, I'm good. Not doing that. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. This is too regular. Even in this moment now, you did struggle with it being regular, but you're more receptive than you would have been.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

And again, that's constant prayer. Yeah, we need to be real, Lord. I feel uncomfortable, but you know, this is your way, and I I want you to mould me. We need to be honest. I think a lot of us is like we pray for things, and then like you know, like, oh Lord, help me, may my enemies forgive me. The next minute your enemies are turning up at your door, like, or like anything, oh whoa, what's this? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. For real. And you know, we need to pray that when we pray those things, how do I deal with it? Because I'm still hurt here.

SPEAKER_05 38:06

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_00 38:08

And you know, like we need to also not paint the person with the same brush. The brush that they kept hurting us with, you know, sometimes we need to ask the Lord for a new brush, a brand new brush that that that that don't have nothing. Because we could see something and then we're all pinning the dots to how old they were, they owe them. And we don't like when people do that to us, so we shouldn't do that to them.

SPEAKER_05 38:32

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_04 38:34

I agree with that because I I I noticed that recently, like there was a situation that I the like a testimony I told people about, and I noticed the negative like comment every time because of the old situation, which I understand, but you know, it was that like it was the how to describe it without sounding like I don't want to sound like a hypocrite here, but I I think the easiest way I can say it is like you know, like the the people who know Elohim and kind of know this, I would have hoped for a different reaction. That makes sense. Um not expect, because I think that's the incorrect word. I think like sometimes we say expect because we think everyone's perfect, right? Um I would have hoped for a different reaction, and so like I've realized that like we sometimes we really do paint everyone with the same brush. Um and the like the like you said, the old brush, and it could be there could be a new one, and we're still painting them with the old one. Um but I asked that previous question for myself because um yeah, I needed a I needed an answer for that. And he can see that yeah, like the the the prayer, right? And then also I needed that word in regards to um I needed that word in regards to to keep praying because and because I was honest with Elohim recently and I was like, do you know what? I'm not really praying honest enough. Because I can hear the words I'm saying and I and I know what I'm feeling. So I'm in the middle of prayer praying these words because I'm trying to just not be negative or not be frustrated, and I'm really trying to just hold it together, but then it's like sometimes it's like what's the point? Because he knows, right? Like with other people you can do that, that's fine. Um, but the one person I need to be doing that with, I'm not doing that with, and like I said it to him, and I said to him why I couldn't as well, yeah, and that's important. And I was like, to be honest, I just don't want to say it to you because I just don't want you to be more disappointed than you already are, yeah, you know, but who are we to tell God what he's doing and or how he feels, you know?

SPEAKER_00 40:57

And I think that's another thing. I think if he if he was tired of us, he would have ended this world time ago.

SPEAKER_02 41:04

True.

SPEAKER_04 41:06

Truth, like you said, innit, he's being patient. It's so funny you went to that um scripture, because I think that was paraphrased in the reading I was doing with Little Man as well, because it did say that, like um, you know, he's being patient with us. Um not like he's not something gets said, not like not like he's not fed up or whatever.

SPEAKER_05 41:28

But did it say that? Not fed up, no, I don't think that's the correct word, but he says our heart.

SPEAKER_00 41:34

That's one thing that he sees. He sees no, even if like I could be the baddest person, but behind closed doors I'm a mouse, he sees, yeah, but the other people are just seeing the hulk.

SPEAKER_02 41:46

For real.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

And I think because he's given us to go back to what we were talking about, like all the madness and the chaos in the world.

SPEAKER_05 41:55

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:56

Because he's given us choice, some of us do that. He like, you know, imagine if he just meant to stop the world, then that person wouldn't have the time to to find themselves and to find the self because nobody was just started off on badness, nobody came out of the room with guns and and you know what I mean? Like it's our environment that has shaped us. And when you listen to half of these people, imagine if you we didn't even if if we lived in a world where you didn't even get a second chance, you're just judged on whoever, and you're like, no, no, no, actually, I'm gonna change. And this is what I love about Yah. Like he's so forgiving, he gives us time, and yes, there's so many other families and people that are hurting, especially with world disasters, yeah, like you know, planes going missing or crashing, and nobody wants to hear that, but at the same time, it's like we have to put our hands up and just say, Yah, cover me, yah, help me protect my family, help the one, help. We we don't even pray for like the the the young boys and girls in the streets that are doing stuff. All we do is a Lord. I hope my child or my family member does not get attacked. None of us, who is praying for those people that are actually outside?

SPEAKER_01 43:18

That's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 43:19

No one, no one is like, Lord, help them, help them to put down a knife, help them to find love, help them to no one's praying for that. Everyone's praying to protect us from them. But who's praying for them?

SPEAKER_05 43:29

It's a good point. Very good point. Very, very, very good point. Very true.

SPEAKER_04 43:37

I thought that when you girls. No, it's a good two pence. It's it's I thought that when I saw these two girls, these two really young girls getting on the bus yesterday.

SPEAKER_05 43:49

And I just like said, like, I don't even know if it I guess every prayer is a prayer, but I did say a prayer, I was just like, Lord be with these girls. Cause there's just something that just

SPEAKER_04 44:00

Wasn't right. Because I was looking at the time of the day and why they're not at school or college or whatever they're meant to be. Do you know what I mean? Like they just looked idle and um I felt sorry for them. And I was just like, this is really sad to see these two young, pretty girls outside, you know, just yeah, just look like they're not going anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 44:28

Some schools are on half term this week. Oh they finish later. Yeah. Different boroughs. Different schools. So some children have got the children who have gone back to school. Some of them they weren't there last week, this week.

Praying for Those Who Hurt

SPEAKER_04 44:42

Oh, well, okay. That could be it then. God forgive me for my judgment if I did judge. Because I was like, what are they doing out? Because it because I mean they don't bound to be for my borough, but I'm sure most of my people from my borough are back. But hey, because I've been so it's been chaos out there in the school run. But yeah, maybe, maybe they're not back. Yeah, you're true. Could be right. Um but you see, do you know what I mean? Like, I didn't know this information, so my mind was just judging, I guess. I didn't know that information, but I did feel like a way, like not a way, but when I saw them, I just thought, yeah, this is may God be with them. Just for like praying, anyways. Um but I don't think I have um anything I can think of adding. Um But I feel like these are good points made that we should really try to remember as we're looking at things that's happening around the world, um, as we are looking at people closest to us as well and the things that they are doing. Um the first reminder is that a sin is a sin, your sin is not measured differently from theirs. Um, even though you might think your thing is not as bad as what that person is doing, but it's the same. And then secondly, um our focus here is prayer, praying, praying, praying, praying, praying, praying. Sometimes I feel prayed out. I'm like, oh my gosh, is there any more prayers that I can pray? Like, or uh no, sorry, that's incorrect. Can there be like you know, the list is so long basically of prayers? It's just like, oh my gosh, I am just praying, like the list just feels long. Um, I don't think I ever repeat the same prayers because sometimes I just feel like there's so many. Um, but like CeCe said, um, whatever comes to mind, we need to be interceding. Um, and we should be interceding for those young ones out there instead of just praying for our own family members and stuff, that's very important.

SPEAKER_02 47:18

Um, but it's just to know that our God is a God of order, and these things are happening for a reason, and it's not in vain.

SPEAKER_04 47:33

Like Cece said, He's given us time. You know, sin is inevitable, um, these things are gonna happen, but he has been so patient and given us so much time to get our act together, and not just us, our family members, our children, everybody, because he wants to allow everyone the chance so that nobody, nobody can come and say, Oh, you did like you didn't you didn't give me a chance. Like you didn't like, God, you just came, like I didn't know, I didn't know, like, no one can come and use that excuse because he would have there's so many chance chance upon chance, like he's the only person that's gonna do that. There's no one around you that's gonna give you that many chances the way that our father in heaven does. Literally, there's no one that's gonna do that. Um, and so we need to stop taking that freedom of choice and the love that he's showing through that for granted.

SPEAKER_02 48:40

Speaking to myself, Amen. Yeah, that was me.

SPEAKER_00 48:57

With that being said, Amen, and we hope that he was able to answer a question or answer a question that somebody else has said. And just to continue to like take time and read the word, he's left little promises in there for us and little nuggets. And sometimes we don't have to study a whole chapter just focus on a couple of verses and just read it. That's what I've been doing. Um because you know, sometimes when life is life in, we could just spend that time just focusing on those couple of verses for the week. And um you'll be amazed at how much uh is said to you throughout that time. And thank you for being patient with us um with when these podcasts will be coming out.

SPEAKER_02 49:51

And thank you. Amen. All right, guys.

SPEAKER_04 49:58

Um, I want to pray, feel the Holy Spirit saying to pray. So I'll pray about this subject, and um yeah. Let's go. Blessed, holy, and wonderful Father. Give you praises and thanksgiving, Lord, for this day. Thank you, Father Lord in heaven, for this subject that you've brought forward for us today, Lord. I feel like it's something that it's a struggle um for a lot of us in different ways, um, with the things that's happening in the world. But Father God, we know that everything in the end will be worked out for your good. We know that, Lord, you are still in control, even when people think you're not, even when people think the devil has control, he really doesn't. You still stand on the throne and you are still in charge of every single thing that's occurring around us. And so, Father God, for all of those who are struggling, please help us with our faith to strengthen, help us with our humility, Father God, um, with peace. And Lord, for us to just come to you wholeheartedly, honestly, because you see everything. You're the all-knowing God, you're omnipotent, you are everywhere, and so you know everything, and so help us to just put you first. Everything else will follow. We'll see how you'll work things out, and help us to not lose hope. To just keep holding on to you, Father. And I just pray, Lord in heaven, that we can just continue to be the light that you need of us to be. Thank you, Lord, for everything. Thank you, Lord, for your time, and we love you. Maybe not as much as you love us, but we love you. In your son's name as we pray, amen.

SPEAKER_00 51:57

Amen. And I'll just say a short prayer. Abbaya, we don't always understand why pain and evil are allowed, but we trust that you are still good. Help us to hold on when things don't make sense, strengthen our faith, comfort our hearts, and remind us that you are near, even in darkness. And we'll see you guys soon.