Have you ever heard someone say, \u201ceverything happens for a reason?\u201d
\nWhat do you think that means? <\/p>\n
Why do people say it?<\/p>\n
Sometimes people say it to comfort others, or to give hope. Sometimes people say it because they don\u2019t know what to say. Most often, people mean it to assure others that a bad situation can be happening so that greater good can happen in the future.<\/p>\n
What is free will?<\/p>\n
Why do you think God gave us free will?<\/p>\n
Everything does happen for a reason, but sometimes it\u2019s a bad reason- and outside of God\u2019s will. God can take a bad situation and make good come from it- but that doesn’t mean He wanted the bad situation to ever happen. He allows bad things, because he gave us free will. We get to make choices, and sometimes we choose wrong. Sometimes people choose really wrong, and the consequences can be life altering.<\/p>\n
Matt 11:28-30\u201cCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next time you have a friend hurting, remember that they may not want to hear that things happen for a reason- because some reasons are just bad. Remember that the God of the Bible is available, and wants to be our comfort. If you are hurting, and bad things have happened to you, look for the ways that God is reaching out to you. Through friends. Family. Youth Leaders. Find help, and help others. God won’t waste your sorrows.<\/p>\n
-Karyn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Have you ever heard someone say, \u201ceverything happens for a reason?\u201d What do you think that means? Why do people say it? Sometimes people say it to comfort others, or to give hope. Sometimes people say it because they don\u2019t know what to say. Most often, people mean it to assure others that a bad… Continue reading Discussion: Nothing is Wasted<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"series":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"http:\/\/upstreamteens.org\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-voice\/id792284906","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"http:\/\/upstreamteens.org\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/the-voice","embedCode":"Discussion: Nothing is Wasted<\/a><\/blockquote>