When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1-24-2021)

When bad things happen to good people 1-24-21 Beginning Scripture: Psalm 73: 12-14 “Look at these men of arrogance; they never have to lift a finger—theirs is a life of ease; and all the time their riches multiply.” Have I been wasting my time? Why take the trouble to be pure? All I get out of it is trouble and woe—every day and all day long! TLB The psalmist sounds pretty discouraged in these verses doesn’t he? But, he goes on to say he might have thought these things but was glad he did not say them out loud or act on his feelings. And eventually he came to a real different conclusion about his thinking. I will address his rethinking in a few moments. But for now, let me say that it seems the writer of Psalm 73 was discouraged with the injustice and unfairness he had seen where the arrogant are rewarded and the holy are punished. The psalmist’s disillusionment is understandable. I myself get extremely frustrated when I see people not being held accountable for the evil, abuse and injustice they heap on others. As the Sunday School lesson points out “We expect good to conquer evil. And we suffer doubt and despair when we see injustice.” [p. 54] I have to say as I have gotten older, I have lower expectations of my fellow human beings. And I am NOT necessarily proud of that. Regularly we hear of humans’ fallen nature. I used to oppose this idea, believing that all humans were created good and innocent. But having seen so much evidence of pride and idolatry in our species, that idealism and belief has become diluted. Some people think that God should not allow bad things to happen to good people. But I like the way our lesson addresses this problematic thinking. It says “This reasoning fails to take into account that God has determined that humans be able to exercise their own [free] will.” [p. 51] There is little doubt in my mind that God intervenes in human history, but never at the expense of human freedom. Different words came into my mind as I read Psalm 73, for example despondence vs discouragement. Despondence means without or almost without hope. I have a nephew with whom I have communicated lately and he over his life he has had so much bad fortune and abuse from his fellow workers that he seems close to despondence, without hope. He has had numerous physical injuries and sever arthritis which is so bad, the surgeons say surgery to repair his problems is all but hopeless. My nephew is only in his forties, but he says that the only reason he hasn’t killed himself is his religion. Discovering this, I felt so sad and powerless to help him. And I was grateful for his religion and his faith which I know is heartfelt. But his near despondence worries me. Despondence vs Discouragement: Discouragement means: deprived of courage or hope. I have spoken of this in at least one other devotional, but for now let me simply say that sometimes when I see long term injustice and evil in society, or in social affairs, I lose the courage to be bright and filled with hope. This is a terrible feeling. It is as if there is a dark cloud hanging over me and enveloping me, sapping my energy and light. Thank God I do not stay in this state very long, partly because it is so painful. I usually find something positive or at least distracting to pull me out of the darkness. Often that something that brings me back into the light is Scripture, or a friend who gets me to laugh, or my wife who gives me a hug and rubs my back. So I can relate to the feelings the writer has in Psalm 73. But he pulls out of his discouragement. In his meditation he reflected on the seeming injustice perpetrated by God – rich arrogant sinners being blessed while good people who lived upright lives and ought to be rewarded for their goodness they have woeful lives full of suffering. He reveals that in his prayer and meditation he realized that the arrogant sinners’ happiness was only temporary and eventually they would suffer destruction. He ends the psalm by saying in verse 28: “But as for me, I get as close to [God] as I can! I have chosen him, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful ways he rescues me.” I have come to realize that it does me no good to get all caught up in anger, resentment, or even jealousy over evil things people do. I make a decision to do what I can do and ask God for the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Sometimes at night when I’m in bed trying to sleep, I start obsessing on some disturbing things I have seen on the news. The only way I can get to sleep is to say the Serenity Prayer. And I need to follow the good example of the psalmist in verse 17 when he said amidst his troubled mind:“Then one day I went into God’s sanctuary to meditate…” What happened after that experience was nothing less than a transformation in the psalmist. Ultimately my ability to withstand the temptation to discouragement or despondence comes when I seek out my beloved Papa God and abide with him for a while. I am pretty sure you already know that even though we can do little about the suffering and the death we see all around us these days, our best defense is to remember that Yahweh is near, he is always by our side. I must take comfort in Jesus’ hand resting on my shoulder, I must try to smell his scent and hear his whispered voice. Lord, when I can make you real it is your blessed, sweet comfort I feel. Lord, when I am down and out erase my discouragement and doubt lift me from the valley of darkness and night with your courage and your splendid light. Questions and Challenges • • • Describe a time when you have become discouraged or despondent over the bad things that happen to good people. What helped you pull out of your feelings? The next time this happens, I suggest you pause, try to put yourself in God’s presence and/or say the Serenity Prayer. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Jesus, when I start to get discouraged help me to remember you, to see you on the cross, to hear your courage and forgiveness for your executioners when you were in your own dreadful darkness, when you were right there at death’s door. Jesus, I still believe human beings are capable of great and glorious things. Lord, keep us in such a belief through your Resurrection by rising in us in our darkness, and by your rising lift us up to again believe in the greatness of which we are capable. We pray these things in your name, Jesus Christ our precious Lord and Savior. Amen.