Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? (Part 2)

Review

Turn to Romans 8:18

As we began thinking about this question, we first had to get a right perspective. A circumstance that we see as bad, God may see as being for our good.

Paul called his trials “light affliction.” Again, not necessarily the terms that would come to my mind, but we need to have the mind of Paul and of Christ in this.

In answering the question, we saw one reason from Scripture: it is so that God may teach us. By allowing some pressure in our lives, God teaches us some lessons we may otherwise not learn.

Humility

Comfort

Obedience

Faith

Patience

Tonight, we’re going to see four more reasons why God allows bad things to happen to good people.

Introduction

So that God may teach us - Psalm 119:67, 71

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So that we don’t get comfortable with our earthly layover - Romans 8:18

I don’t do much flying, but I’ve flown on at least a dozen flights in my life. Most of them have involved a layover.

A layover is usually a short visit at a connecting airport before proceeding to the final destination.

In 2022, Jana and I were able to take our entire family on a missions trip to Big Bear, CA. I think there were about 15 of us altogether. We flew out of Raleigh, NC, late at night and if memory serves me right we landed in Phoenix, AZ, for a quick layover. It was the first time I had ever seen that part of America and from everything I could see from the airport, it was beautiful. I would have enjoyed seeing more of Arizona, but our layover was pretty short. It was a pitstop and then we were on to the final destination.

That’s about the extent of our life on earth. We are strangers and pilgrims here on a short visit, and any suffering we endure here is but a small thing in comparison to our heavenly home.

Read Romans 8:18

When you’re going through suffering, when you’re under the pressure it doesn’t feel like a small thing, does it?

And it’s not a small thing. Paul didn’t say that our suffering was small, he says that it is small in comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us.

Why do bad things happen to good people? One reason is because God doesn’t want us to get too comfortable here.

I don’t know about you, but I need to be reminded of that.

I love America.

I love Pennsylvania.

I love my family, my friends, and everything that God has given me here.

I am so blessed. I am such a rich man.

But the reality is, this is a layover. I’m not going to live forever. Not here! I’ll fight for everything I believe in while I’m here, but Hebrews tells me that my eternal rest is coming! This life on earth, with all of its suffering and heartache, is only a layover while we’re enroute to our final destination.

Amen!

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Hebrews 11:13–14 KJV 1900

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

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Hebrews 11:16 KJV 1900

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Third reason:

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So that God gets glory - Revelation 4:11, Exodus 9:16

I’m not going to spend much time on this point, but it is foundational for answering this question.

We exist to bring glory to our Creator.

Turn to and read Revelation 4:11

According to Revelation 4:11, why did God create us? What does the last part of the verse say? He created us for His pleasure.

One quick example of this:

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Exodus 9:16 KJV 1900

16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Do you realize what God says to Pharoah right there? He says, “I made you to be Pharoah so that I could show my power and so that I would be glorified throughout the earth.”

Now if God did that with Pharoah, what do you think He is trying to do through our lives?

God deserves glory through our lives too. He will get glory, but we give Him even greater glory when we humble submit to Him in faith.

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So that God may prove Himself - Psalm 34:19-20, Psalm 37:23-24, Isaiah 43:1-3

Turn to Psalm 34:19-20

If we never faced some pressure in our lives, we would live independent of God.

Read Psalm 34:19-20

God wants to shine through and prove Himself to us. He wants to prove His power and deliver us. He wants to prove His tender care. He wants to show His goodness.

Trials are the opportunities for God to do just that.

Many times as a farmhand, my boss and I would be working on repair projects together. I can’t tell you how many times I had to lift something heavy up and hold it in place while he worked to get it nailed to the wall. My arms would be burning. I’d be straining to hold something and I’d be counting the seconds for him to get his part of the job done. And many times I was silently wondering, “is he ever going to get it done?”

Application: Listen, when you’re under that pressure, when God is silent and you are suffering, you can know for certain that He is working. Silence just means that God is busy working.

There’s one more reason I want to share on why bad things happen to good people. Arguably, I think it’s the most important.

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So that we may know Him - Philippians 3:10

Turn to Philippians 3:10

There is very little that produces a genuinely deep relationship together more than common suffering. Football players develop intense bonds because they endure the heat of an August practice field together, and the joint struggle against fierce opposition to overcome the other team. A soldier who spends nine months in combat will forever remain close to the men with whom he served.

If you want deep fellowship with Him you must go through the door of suffering. But He will be with you in it. And you two will grow very close through it.

- Pastor Tom Brennan -

http://concerningjesus.blogspot.com/search/label/suffering?updated-max=2022-08-21T14:16:00-05:00&max-results=20&start=23&by-date=false

Read Philippians 3:10

Beloved, the great need in our suffering is not for it to end. It is not for us to obtain comfort. It is not for us to grasp the why. No, the great need in our suffering is for us to see God. To place Him front and center, to give Him the preeminence, to realize we orbit His Sun and not the other way around. And in seeing Him we will find all we really need.

He – all by Himself – is enough. Just Him.

- Pastor Tom Brennan - https://concerningjesus.blogspot.com/2022/09/jobs-great-mistake.html

1 Peter 5:10–11 KJV 1900

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Five reasons why bad things happen to good people

Further study: articles by Pastor Tom Brennan