"He saith: Accuse not [thy]self overdone much, deeming that thy tribulation and thy woe is all for thy fault; for I will not that thou be heavy or sorrowful indiscreetly. For I tell thee, howsoever thou do, thou shalt have woe."
Julian of Norwich (Ch. 77)
God does not seek retribution when we fall. He does not punish. He is the One lifting us up and helping us when we fall, the One showing grace and mercy and uplifting our heads so we can go forward in more love and joy. Sometimes we may worry that bad circumstances are some kind of punishment, discipline or chastening put upon us by God. But it is not so. Whatever we do in life, whether we live very lovingly or live very unlovingly, we will have some woe or trouble. Jesus told us we would have trouble in this broken world, but to take heart because He has already overcome it. So God is not sending calamity or trouble, sickness or tragedy onto people because they fall. Those things are part of the world's brokenness and are the very things Christ has overcome for us. So He is the one bringing us through those things, uplifting us from those things, giving us release and hope and comfort and strength to come out of those things. He is the One giving us ultimate and permanent victory over all the trouble and woe this world has.
So when something bad happens to us, it is not from God. God is not angry with us, punishing us, or doing bad things to us to "teach us a lesson." God is always loving us, always at peace with us, always of one heart with us, always helping us. When we have troubles, God is the One delivering us through, over and from those things! When something bad happens, He has not turned away from us but is closer to us than ever, for He knows that is when we need His help even more. He is a good, caring, forgiving, compassionate, helpful God and Father to us. He takes the burdens and sorrows off, never puts them on. He bore all our sicknesses and sorrows on the cross to take them away from us forever. What a healing, uplifting, delivering and empowering God! What a Savior, who as His name says, saves us from calamity and pain rather than putting those things upon us! He assures us that any trouble that comes against us will be put down into defeat.
"But he ·took [bore] our suffering on him and ·felt our pain for us [carried our sorrows/sickness]."
Isaiah 53:4 (EXB)
"If anyone brings trouble against you, it will not be from Me. Whoever comes against you will fall because of you."
Isaiah 54:15 (NLV)
"'I know what I am planning for you,' says the Lord. 'I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.'"
Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)
A Prayer: Thank You for only doing good to us and never harm! Thank You for lifting off and rescuing us from the pains and sorrows of life. We could not make it through this life without You being there for us.