Posted on 09/17/2014 7:06:26 PM PDT by impactplayer
Why do bad things happen to good people?
There is no real answer to this question, because it is a flawed question! The question assumes we are good. There really are no “good” people, so how in the world could any of us tell “bad” things from “good” things? The question we actually need to ask is: “Why would a good God let those trying to do His will suffer?” This question has real answers.
First, we need to review where we stand. We are fallen creatures, inclined to do wrong, and wrong thoughts and acts have bad consequences – sometimes for us – sometimes for others. And if God removed the bad consequences, we would never learn anything. Free will without consequences would just be a game, and God does not play games with our eternal souls. God is pretty firm on this – He did not make an exception even to relieve the suffering of His Son! The real wonder is that a world full of fallen creatures, making bad choices, doesn’t have more suffering in it than it does.
Secondly, who says suffering is bad? Not God. When a child is being punished, both he and his parents suffer: is that good or bad? And when he fails in school or in a play or in sports; works harder, then succeeds; we call that character building – but did the child suffer? Of course! A child’s frame of reference is today, ours is limited to this life – but God’s time frame is eternity. His training – His discipline – His focus – is eternal. Thus, we, like the child, are in a very poor position to weight the relative merits of temporal suffering.
And thirdly, what kind of a world would this really be if God’s people never suffered? Not one I would choose to live in. Just think: people would flock to be “God’s people” just to avoid suffering. They would all, of course, be very sincere! And if someone were suffering, it would be their own fault. Who would help? Who would care? All this sufferer has to do is join “God’s people”, and He will fix it! True love – real compassion – all empathy – would cease to exist. It is only as God’s people share in the lot of the world’s suffering that we can share His compassion and His empathy and His love with the world. It is a pity, but no other way will work.
But there is even a better reason we are sometimes tested in uncomfortable ways. God knows the strength of our faith, but we never will until it is used, or tested. This is the same principle as a runner or weight lifter working out before the competition – we will not be strong enough to rely on God when we really need Him if we have never had to trust upon Him along the way.
Finally, it really is through our weakness that God’s strength is revealed. For He will always provide the added measure when our reservoir is empty, and fills us with His grace and strength. Suffering, like death, holds great promise of God’s divine intervention into our lives – but never such that I would seek it. His future for us is far better than the life we have built here on earth. But for those enlisted to endure, there is a great and abiding promise that He will hold, nurture, and comfort us; and through it build us up and prepare us for eternal blessings.
So what are we left with? How do we respond when it is our turn to suffer? First, praise God that He cares and is in charge! That gets our mind and spirit started in the right direction. Then, give Him the problem and find others to support you in prayer. And be prepared to accept whatever He offers. And finally, share your hurts and blessing with others in the same boat. And who knows, you may be building your eternal character in God’s image, strengthening your faith muscles, and bringing a stranger to learn of His love. Not bad. Not bad at all!
Why shouldn't they?
Not every "thing" that happens is correlated to the quality of one's character. Some things are random, or at least have nothing to do with character.
See, that was easy. The only thing hard about that question is when one carries unwarranted assumptions into it.
None of us are worthy...: )
right. that’s why it’s a free gift. none can earn it. if you ‘earn’ it you spend eternity in hell. and you can’t ever earn it b/c you’re never done earning it.
His eye is on the sparrow all the way down to the sidewalk *splat*. That doesn’t sound like control to me. It sounds like watching. How do you convince someone that they’ve been brainwashed? I don’t need a preacher to tell me to do what Jesus did. I am going to do what I am going to do because I can see for myself that it is the right thing to do. I will not wait for a promise or a miracle. People die waiting for rescue. There’s the mountain. Here’s the shovel. Watch me go now!
No doubt some really great folks have sucky lives poverty...illness.. And some bad guys live large and happy. I don’t have an answer.
Yep! I'll take joy over happiness any day and as you said, God is leading us THROUGH trials to learn joy.
“Why do bad things happen to good people?”
It’s God’s way of reminding us that this life isn’t where we really want to spend eternity.
Wow! I can’t say I’ve had that “fullness of Joy” in what I’ve endured...though it often did come after the fact.
“God is not in control here. “
Yes He most certainly is.
Amen! A little less than 3 months ago, very suddenly, my husband died. He had a massive heart attack and never made it into the house from the garage. My life, as I know it, was shattered. And to make things worse, it could not have been worse timing for financial and estate affairs. They are a most complicated mess. I will lose the house, and perhaps the cars and who knows what else. On paper, according to this world, I don't know where I will live, or how to pay for it. But, God clearly says it IS for my better (and our children and grandchildren):
2 Cor 4:17-18 "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
I used to have a love/hate relationship with that verse, but through this dark, grieving time, it gives me comfort beyond compare. God WILL be glorified in this, and any other trial in His children, or he would not allow it.
He will not let us suffer for no reason. For that matter, He never does anything for no reason. He doesn't waste any time or effort (as it were) on working in our lives. There's ALWAYS a reason and it's always a good one. Not just verse 19, but all of Romans 8 (and 1 Peter 1) tells us that these things happen so that He may make us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. And we know that our peace (that passes all understanding) and our joy (indescribable) lies in our being made more and more into being conformed into the image is his Son.
We are a stiff necked, sinful people who only desire what pleases us. But thanks be to God that He saved us and gave us the Holy Spirit and the ability to now choose to serve him - no matter what the circumstance. If we do not know sorrow and pain in this life, how can we REALLY know true joy and peace? And when we know it, how can we NOT give God the glory to have his peace and joy in the midst of those circumstances so that others may know Him?
Sola de Gloria
1) There ARE no good people. Everyone is a sinner.
2) Who EVER said that bad things happen to people because they are bad?
3) Who EVER said that being good protects people from having bad things happen?
4) Ever read the gospels or make the Stations of the Cross?
I once noted that money seems to rain down on people like Pelosi. One crooked land deal after another, year after year after year. A friend said, “It would be more accurate to say, ‘erupts from Hell.’”
Look at Al Sharpton. As Breitbart said, of the fact that Sharpton has a TV show: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Dada!” All Sharpton has to do is support the killing of babies, and money is showered on him. Same with Jesse Jackson.
You know, that's about the best answer I've seen yet!!!
I remember now what God spoke to me about Him not doing anything for no reason.
I was praying about my situation and said to Him, “It all seems so pointless” and He answered back with “Nothing I do is pointless”.
I was very appropriately rebuked, but still, it was in His usual gentle way.
My father also passed away suddenly like that at a most inconvenient time. We weren’t in the position that you are that it had such drastic consequences, but I do understand how traumatic that can be.
I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through and for your loss, I will pray for you. And I will pray that God will not allow you to lose everything you have, or anything that you have. I will not speak for Him and tell you that it will all work out the way you want, but I do know that He is ABLE to do that so I will pray that all those issues are resolved and you can keep your home after all.
In that case, “luck” is still meaningless, because some people are actively trying to kill that child, and other people did not protect or defend or feed the child enough.
If you want to extrapolate far enough, things become silly, at least from our perspective (another Chinese story, as told by an American):
Traveling to China on vacation, and American was walking down a sidewalk when he was hit by an inattentive bicyclist. A policeman was right there, and gave the bicyclist a ticket, but then he wrote out a ticket for the American as well.
“Why do I get a ticket?”, he asked.
“Because had you not come to China, this accident could not have happened”, replied the policeman.
This pretty well defines “luck” in a nutshell.
“I wanna know why so many good things happen to bad people.”
Maybe the “good things” are the enemy’s comfortable cage to keep one satisfied from seeking first the Kingdom of God.
Job was a sinner, just like the rest of us.
Thank you for posting this - a well-reasoned and excellent answer to an oft-asked question. Perhaps you could explain it to the Archbishop of Canterbury!
Mrs. AV
I saw that - it is the reason I sent this post.
Thanks for making the connection.
Exactly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.