Sift You as Wheat

Process of sifting grain

To those in search of answers for the tough questions, revelation of a distinct purpose, and an all-encompassing Peace: may these words bring you comfort.


  "Why do bad things happen to good people?" I find myself asking that question a lot here lately in my life, as I am sure you have done at some point in your life. In fact, if you are human, have breathe in your lungs, and blood coursing through your veins I am positive you have asked this question. I recently begin to comprehend the depths of that question and feel led to share them with you. 


    I was sitting in Starbucks (like the rest of the world), anxiety would not even begin to describe the level of uneasiness I was feeling. Less than a week prior I was on top of the world: I have great friends, a loving family and a stable job. I was looked at as somewhat of a "sharp guy", as my friend of whom I was waiting to meet, had once called me. But this day was different, I had messed up and had invited that friend to apologize and start the long road back to fixing that relationship. So there I was, sitting in the parking lot 15 minutes early and the storm of all storms was brewing. The wind was wiping, trees bending under the weight. All at once the skies opened up and rain beat down on the roof of my SUV. I had been dreading this meeting all day at work because I knew the awkward tension that would be palpable once we were face to face. A tension that arose because of an unperceived  area of weakness in my life. You see, I had been fed the line that I was this great guy by everyone i knew, family and friends alike. Truth be told, I would like to think I am a "good" person, as I am sure you would like to be thought of as well.  As I ventured into the coffee shop, I did that awkward scan of the room in search of a familiar face as I walked briskly to not look like that creepy guy you catch looking at you. I was apparently there first. So i order a drink and set down. I had that nervous energy building up inside of me that I had to do something to try and restrain my nerves. My leg was bouncing uncontrollably as I tired to read from my Kindle app. I reread the same sentence ten times. I could not focus. I looked up and saw a familiar face.  


   Before I am able to answer the question, "Why do good things happen to bad people", I first must give alleviate some stress you may have. What is the definition of "good", you ask? Many would submit, that being "good" constitutes someone of upstanding virtue, that strives daily to be better than he or she was yesterday. Well lets do this little exercise. This is a self reflection I had to do myself. Have you ever lied? Yes? Then what does that make you? A liar. (these questions sting but are necessary, so please stay with me). Have you ever stole? No? Well did you count your sip stealing at the soda fountain. You know what I'm talking about, like you haven't taken a big gulp, looked around to see if you were clear and topped off again. That's stealing. My sound silly, but that's how it is. One more. Have you ever coveted your friends new 2012 cherry red mustang, with white racing stripes, navigation, all american racing rims, with a 5.0 Liter V6 engine that goes 0 to 60 faster than you can say vroom vroom? No? Neither have I. Of course we all have coveted something someone else has that we don't. So by those standards would you be considered a person of upstanding virtue? A "good" person? Not a chance.


  You see, we ask the question, "why do bad things happen to good people", without being aware that none of us are good. no not one. Our throats are open graves, our tongues practice deceit, our mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Our feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark our ways. We do not know the way to peace. So how can we, being bad ask a question that does not pertain to us. Yes, you may be a better person than someone who massacre's dozens of people in theater in Aurora, Colorado. But this is not a comparison driven question. It pertains specifically to you. When something bad happens to YOU, its YOUR justice that you are calling into question. You see, you are fallen short of the standard we are called to live by. That standard is Jesus Christ. He came her and was tempted in every way that we are tempted, and he came out unblemished. Never lied, never cussed, never coveted. He is Holy. Set apart. Different from us. Our justice comes in acknowledging that we are fallen and justified by His dying on the cross for our sins. He bridged the gap to us. While we are unworthy, constantly falling short, not naturally "good", sinners- He loves us and bridges that gap. 


  You may be asking yourself, Kyle, how does that answer the question why bad things still happen to those that realize our fallen nature. Why do things still happen. I submit two theories. First, to shake us. Make us aware. Acknowledge God. That's a whole blog in of itself. For some study on your own read: Job, Exodus 7-12, and Revelation. In each account bad things happen to seemingly innocent or "good" people. But Isaiah 55, Says God;s ways and thoughts are higher than our thoughts. For more on that, read my last blog. But the reason and point of your blog is this. It is found in the scripture my friend gave me.

Threshing wheat

  As my friend sat down and we hashed out our problem the storm outside seemingly intensified. The ominous weather was fitting. Lightening peeled across the sky, and thunder rumbled as the power flickered and finally went out. God undoubtedly was trying to get my attention and Satan wanted nothing more than to distract me. He was accomplishing that very well, just as the biggest lightening bolt struck right  in my view out of the window right over my friends shoulder. I instantly thought of Job 32, where God shows His Majesty in directing ever lightening bolt where to go. This one, snapped me back from my drifting conscious, and my friend laid this scripture before me. Luke 22: 31-32, "Simon,  Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." For those that are not familiar with the Bible, Simon is Jesus' closest disciple, or friend if you will. He was looked at by everyone as a "good guy", a "sharp guy". But, less than 25 verses later he denies even knowing Jesus. Not once. Not twice, but three times. There is comfort in these verses however. In Matthew 3:12, John the Baptist paints us a startling picture: "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The imagery here, is that of a farmer on his threshing floor. Farmer after harvesting their crops, would lay them out on the threshing floor and have donkeys or horses drag a threshing board that would tear the grain from the stalk and husks. He would then use a winnowing fork and throw the wheat in the air, allowing the wind to carry away the lighter chaff, and the heavy grain would fall the floor. Then comes the process of sifting. If you reach this process there in of itself lies a level of comfort. Jesus calls you grain. You are His, he claims you. You are not the chaff that is blown away. The grain would then be put into a sieve. A type of straining device. Think of gold miners panning for gold. The screen would allow the grain to fall into baskets to be used and the rocks and debris from the threshing floor would remain on the screen. Dear friend, we are just like the wheat.

Refined Gold

   God allows bad things to happen to remove any unwanted or unnecessary debris in our lives. I'm not saying that we don't bring it on ourselves, but He allows us to makes decisions that ultimately strips of some self pride, or our sense of natural born virtuoso. This sifting process is often painful, but we should not resist it. Instead of praying for a lighter load, we should instead pray for a stronger back. Pray for a desire to be closer to Him. Ask Him to take away anything that keeps you from being closer to Him. You undoubtedly have endured many bumps in the road of life. But, being a Christ follower does not mean that there aren't going to be some potholes along the way. In fact, it is actually going to be a hard journey.  I know it has been for me. He are going through a bevy of refining processes that makes us more like Jesus: molding or shaping, (Jeremiah 18), sifting (Luke 22, Amos 9), purging (1 Peter 1:7), and pruning (John 15). Once you have endured your refining, turn and strengthen your brothers that are walking through that storm you just came out of (Luke 22:32).


  Let me leave you with these words as a guide, and may the God of all creation that sustains us and shapes us to be more and more like Him everyday bring you comfort in your most difficult of trials, and bring you out loving mercy and walking ever closer to Him. 


John 15:1-5, "I am  the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself: it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 


In Christ Jesus,
Kyle