MPmomof3Why do bad things happen?
September 10th 2010 02:09
“Shattered dreams are never random. They are always a piece in a larger puzzle, a chapter in a larger story. The Holy Spirit uses the pain of shattered dreams to help us discover our desire for God, to help us begin dreaming the highest dream.”
-Larry Crabb
Sometimes I find myself wondering, like so many other people do, why bad things happen to people who try their hardest to live good lives. I understand that no one is completely "good" apart from the grace of God, no matter how hard we try, but I find myself struggling with the fact that unthinkable things can happen to people who are at least making a conscious effort to be good.
Lately, in my search for answers, I have been studying the book of Job in the Bible. God himself bragged about Job’s integrity, even saying to Satan, “have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him: he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” -Job 1:8 New International Version. Yet, in spite of Job’s righteousness, God allowed him to experience unthinkable pain and suffering. Why? Why did such bad things happen to such a good person? The end of the book of Job provides two answers. “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first...” (Job 42:12a New International Version) and God saying “….everything under heaven belongs to me” -Job 41:11 New International Version while providing a description his creation of all things on the earth. God is all powerful. He knows what he is doing. Only he can know all the intricacies of creation and our individual lives.
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God……Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
- Psalm 42:1 and 5 (New International Version)
Psalm 42 reflects a time of desperation in the lives of the sons of Korah who wrote it. The challenges in their lives caused them to cling more tightly to God than any good times ever would. Struggles brought about a closeness to and dependence upon God that they would not have experienced otherwise.
Hebrews chapter 11 details some of the adversities faced by various characters whose stories we can read about in the Bible. These heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 "were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
-Hebrews 11:39 and 40 (New International Version)
When God allows people to go through difficult things, he has a better purpose in mind. He is bringing about things that we cannot even imagine. Although we do not understand the reasons for the difficult things in our lives, he always has the bigger picture. Even if the one experiencing the suffering never sees the desired outcome, God can use their suffering to touch the lives of other people.
“He [Jesus] then began to teach them that the Son of Man [Jesus] must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31 New International Version).
God even allowed his own son to suffer to bring about a greater good for mankind. Jesus suffered the agony of the cross but he also experienced the glory and beauty of the resurrection from the dead and the victory over sin for all people who believe in him. The hard things he went through made a way for us as believers to experience better, greater things in this life and beyond.
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Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Thanks so much for sharing this mature Christian perspective, which comes straight from the Word of God, since it's one that many don't understand. One of the most perplexing mysteries of life is the question of how a loving God could allow suffering -- and particularly the suffering of those who love Him and/or those who are innocent.
God would never let His children suffer without a greater redeeming purpose. He always has a reason for everything He allows, and His reason is based on His eternal perspective, which our finite minds can't yet grasp. One day we'll understand the reasons for everything. In the meantime, as we walk this earth with Him, we must trust that our Heavenly Father loves us more than we could ever even begin to imagine and that He knows what will ultimately prove best for us and everyone else around us. Then we'll be free to confidently follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.
Thanks again for sharing these words of wisdom.
Jeanne
Comment by MPmomof3
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Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Comment by MPmomof3
Home Economics
Basic Housekeeping
Website of the Day
Devotions For Christians