Lisa: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi, there you are. You're on the air.
Lisa: Okay. I have a question. What would you tell somebody that-- We know that we should be grateful for all that Jesus did for us, going to the cross and all. I'm trying to also find where I would find this in the Bible to get a better understanding as well. But what about the fact like, if you regret that you were even created, like a person that regrets that they were ever created? Then, how can they be grateful -- How can they find the gratitude if they're angry that they were ever even created in the first place?
Pastor Doug: Right.
Lisa: You know, with all the Satan and all his evil.
Pastor Doug: Problems in the world. You know what I tell them?
Lisa: There's the same formula in the world. Then you have to ask, why would God even after Adam, Eve ate the apple, why would He still keep creating people, even though He knew that they were going to be going through so much heartache and so much evil?
Pastor Doug: Well let me take a stab at that. For one thing, if a person is saying, "I regret that I was even created," they don't need to be discouraged that they're thinking that, because even some of the heroes in the Bible articulated those feelings. When Job was going through his sufferings, he actually cursed the day that he was born. And Elijah, he prayed that God would take his life when he was running for his life from Jezebel. There was so much evil in the kingdom, and so much problems in the world.
So a number of -- Jeremiah and a number of the Bible characters experienced some very low, down moments or depressed moments when they said there's so much evil. But even just coming to the program tonight I had the Bible tapes on, or CD actually in my car, listening to Romans. Paul was saying, "The sufferings of this present life are not even worthy to be compared to the things that God has for us, the glory that will be revealed in us." I remember telling my father one time, "Well it's your fault I was born and I'm unhappy and you never asked me," and he-- of course kind of a silly thing for a kid to tell their parent. "Why didn't you ask me? I would have chosen not to be born."
Everyone feels that, but if they could only see what God has prepared for those that give their hearts to Him, it's infinitely better and it's worth the potential, the possibilities and the hope of life. Solomon said that, "A living dog is better than a dead lion." We've heard the expression, "Where there's life, there's hope." So I'd ask dear friends, don't despair. God has good things in store. The devil would like to destroy life, God wants to make life. If it wasn't for the devil, all our lives it would have been wonderful.
But we have a lesson that explains, why is there evil if God is good? If you go to the Amazing Facts website, which is simply amazingfacts.org, there's a lesson, "Did God create a devil?" amazingfacts.org. Lisa, appreciate your question. Hopefully that will help a little bit. Thanks for calling.