I almost didn’t record this podcast because of the topic. I thought, “This is too heavy for the first of the year!” And God said, “Do it anyway.” So, here we go.
When I was lying in the hospital, grappling with the aftermath of my heart attack, paralysis, and amputations, one question echoed in my mind over and over again: Why is this happening to me? My heart was heavy with guilt, and I couldn’t shake the thought that maybe God was punishing me for things I’d done in the past. People around me tried to reassure me, saying, “That’s not how God works.” But in my heart, I felt they weren’t entirely right. It wasn’t punishment—but it was judgment.
We don’t like to think about God as a God of judgment. We love to celebrate the God of blessings, the One who opens doors, provides opportunities and pours out favor. But the same God who blesses is also the God who judges. He’s the God of justice and righteousness, and sometimes, His judgment is what brings us to the place of healing, restoration, and redemption.
