Why does God let bad things happen?
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Why does God let bad things happen?
Never judge God by suffering, but judge suffering by the Cross.
Portraits of suffering:
• Janet bit the inside of her cheek to fight back tears. Her friend chatted blithely on about their family going to the church picnic next week, and Janet nodded woodenly and smiled. Inside she was in such pain. She knew her family wouldn’t be going to the picnic. No one could understand what it was like for her to continue to live in the marriage that she had committed to ten years ago. Her husband wasn’t a believer, and the day-to-day pain of loving and respecting her husband when he did not return her love and commitment was so very difficult.•
Bob just couldn’t get through the pain. The death of his eldest son in a car accident had caused a hole in his heart that no one could fill. He couldn’t even seem to function with his other children or his wife because the pain was so fresh every morning and the suffering so intense. If only their last conversation had not been an argument.•
Mark and Jill lost everything in the recent flooding on the Mississippi River. Their house was destroyed, and few of the objects inside were even salvageable. They have the clothes on their backs, a few books, a family Bible, and two cots at the local Salvation Army.
KEY THOUGHTS• Suffering comes for many reasons:
Suffering may come as a result of personal sin and failure.
For example, some people may suffer financially by not carefully budgeting their money or by being wasteful.
Some people may suffer the loss of friendships through their hurtful words or gossip.—
Deserved suffering occurs when we sin or act foolishly
1 Peter 4:15 (NASB95)
Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;
Suffering may also arise due to other people’s sin and failure
such as the drunk driver who causes an accident and creates suffering for others.—
Undeserved suffering is part of following in Jesus’s footsteps
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
Suffering can arise from forces outside of our control.
For example, a tornado or hurricane can create great suffering for many people.
Suffering can come as a result of a person’s faith
standing for Jesus in some parts of the world is an invitation to persecution.
Suffering encourages growth
2 Corinthians 12:9–10 (NASB95)
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Suffering may be for testing and to demonstrate God’s glory
John 9:1–3 (NASB95) As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
We may suffer to help others
2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (NASB95)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
5 ACTION STEPS
1. Trust God
2. Seek His Lessons
3. Seek His Actions
4. Take Small Step Forward
5. Get Support
1. Trust God -
Suffering doesn’t happen just to people. The Bible teaches that creation itself is suffering until a day when it will be redeemed. God Himself suffers, and looks forward to the day when He will bring His people to be with Him.
Sometimes God allows suffering to come into believers’ lives to strengthen their faith.•
Rejoice because of what God will do in your life and what He promises for your future.•
Cast your cares on Christ because His faithfulness never changes
Ps. 46; 2 Cor. 12:7–10
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Heb. 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Allow God to help you endure
Rom. 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
2 Cor. 4:7–10
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
2 Tim. 2:12
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
2. Seek His Lessons•
What do you think God is teaching you in this situation?•
What would you like to learn? How would you like to come out of it at the other end?
3. Seek His Actions•
What could God possibly be doing in your situation?
Where do you see His hand at work?
Which of the lessons above (how suffering clarifies, purifies, and motivates the heart) do you think God is teaching you right now?
4. Take Small Steps Forward•
What small step can you take today to move through the pain?
What do you need to do to function effectively at home, at work, and other places?•
What small step can you take today to begin the process of rebuilding your life?
5. Get Support•
You should be in a small group that will help walk you through the pain, follow up with you, and help you take some of the needed action steps.•
In addition, find a support group of people who have faced similar pain. This can be a huge help as they will have advice that has been tested “in the trenches.”