I've referred to the movie "Signs" before, but the film's message is so profound, I'm confident it can be used again without risking boredom. As you recall, Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess. He's a former priest who loses his faith in God after losing his wife in a car accident. Her death sends him reeling. Like many of us, Hess assumed that bad things don't happen to good people. Good people are insulated from injustice. And the film revolves around his frustration with the God he pledged to serve.

There are a couple poignant scenes in the film that demonstrate Hess' resentment. One occurs at the supper table when his son asks if they can pray before they eat. Without notice, Hess erupts and lashes out saying, "I will not waist another minute of my life on prayer." The boy reacts and tells his father that he hates him. Then with an outpouring of emotion, the two embrace. And while the former priest is crying and holding onto his son, he looks up and says to God, "I hate You. Don't do this to me again."

The film is laced with bitter disappointment. This message is etched into Hess' face: "If there is a god, he cannot be trusted. And if you make the mistake of trusting him, just wait, he'll betray you."

Remember when the family is staring at the television? Merrill is disturbed by what he sees, so he looks to Hess for comfort. But instead of comfort, the former priest explains to his brother that there are two types of people. First, there are those who believe that God is attentive to every facet of our lives. There are no coincidences. Hess tells his brother there's a second group of people - those who believe that everything in life is a coincidence and there's no One to turn to when life is difficult. Then there's a pause. Hess looks at his brother and confesses that he falls into the second group of people. There's no One to turn to in times of need.

The movie "Signs" raises an interesting question. How do we react when we're disillusioned with God? The ancient Greeks believed a person could drink from the Lethe River and the waters would erase the memories of painful experiences. Unfortunately, there's no mythological river to drink from, so we're left to deal with the reality that sometimes things happen to us that cause us to question God's love and integrity.

Sometime ago a retired international lawyer shared with me a chilling story. In 1985 my friend was working for Phillips Petroleum in Can-tone (Canton) China, a city about 75 miles northwest of Hong Kong. He lived and worked in a hotel with other westerners. They were isolated from the rest of the city. The Chinese government feared that the Americans and Europeans might infect their people with capitalism.

But strangely enough, the government allowed Chinese nationals to work in the hotel. So inside there were Chinese cooks, Chinese maids, Chinese houseboys etc.,

One day, man working for Phillips Petroleum began looking for his camera and couldn't find it. He and his wife ransacked their room but came up empty handed. Finally, they reported the loss to the hotel management. The Chinese supervisor questioned the houseboy responsible for cleaning the room. He vehemently denied stealing the camera.

The manager turned the matter over to the International Investigation Bureau, the Chinese equivalent of Russia's KGB. The Bureau interrogated the boy. Again he denied stealing the camera. The next day, the boy didn't show up for work. The Phillip's employee was uneasy so he asked about the houseboy.

The manager of the hotel staff said he was being reeducated. That means he was sent to a gulag or prison in western China to serve a ten-year sentence. As the lawyer shared this story, he got quiet. Then he looked at me and said, "A couple of weeks later, the Phillip's employee found his camera. They reported the finding to the manager, but it was too late. The hotel manager said nothing could be done to help the houseboy."

After listening to that story, I couldn't help but wonder how that houseboy must of felt. As a civilian, he had one of the best jobs anyone could hope for. Then in a sudden and tragic turn of events his life was snatched from him.

Sometimes things happen to us that cause us to question God's love and integrity. Can He be trusted? Is He good?

He says He loves us, but circumstances indicate that He's either indifferent or powerless to change our situation. And what's even more perplexing is that the Scriptures tell us to expect this. The Scriptures tell us that pain and suffering are part of being a Christian.

Acts 14:21 "And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God.' "

I Peter 4:12 "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you."

James 1:3 "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

Acts 9:15-16 God is speaking to Ananias. He lived on the street called Straight in Damascus. He tells him not to fear the man named Saul because he had recently been converted. God tells Ananias "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

Sometimes things happen to us that cause us to question God's love. Is He good? Can He be trusted? But, perhaps part of our problem is that we're asking the wrong questions. Maybe we should ask, "What exactly has God promised me?" Some time ago I came across a poem that addresses this issue.

What Has God Promised?

God hath not promised
Skies ever blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
always for you.
God hath not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.
But He hath promised
Strength from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
undying love.