WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

I am not the first person to write about this, and won’t be the last. Jesus spoke about it and Old Testament saints had to contend with it. And today, people still ask the question “Why?”

Part of the answer is that people’s definition of good is different from that of Christ. People believe that just because they go to church, they are all good. Or they think that because they are kind to others they qualify as good. I am not the judge to say. But we do know that extreme sickness and hardship does befall people that outwardly seem to be “good people”. But, it also happens to people who are truly of our Lord.

We should know if we are Christians that the Lord does not cause these problems. God does not enter a life and slaughter it. Only if a large group sin, and this means putting anything before God, or performing acts that are evil, has He stepped in. These curses from God are outlined throughout the Old Testament starting with Genesis.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Sometimes it is because it helps them to see how to make this world a better place. In some ways that’s what separates the truly good people from those who only think they are good people, and may blame God for troubles. God allows bad things to happen to good people sometimes because it is a necessary part of God’s way for making a good person great.

I didn’t know that there was a book written with the exact title as this article but after starting to write it, I searched on the Internet. Harold S Kushner, a rabbi, wrote a book with this title that has been called a classic, “a classic that offers clear thinking and consolation in times of sorrow”. I have read only excerpts taken from his book. His premise is that God cannot right the wrongs of the world because he does not have the power, as He is limited by the laws of nature.

Here are some quotes from his book: “I believe in God. But I do not believe the same things about Him that I did years ago, when I was growing up or when I was a theological student. I recognize His limitations. He is limited in what He can do by laws of nature and by the evolution of human nature and human moral freedom. I no longer hold God responsible for illnesses, accidents, and natural disasters, because I realize that I gain little and I lose so much when I blame God for those things. I can worship a God who hates suffering but cannot eliminate it, more easily than I can worship a God who chooses to make children suffer and die, for whatever exalted reason.”

There are messages in his book that are probably responsible for its acclaim. -- “We could bear any burden if we thought there was a meaning to what we were doing. Have I made it harder for people to accept their illnesses, their misfortunes, their family tragedies by telling them that they are not sent by God as part of some master plan of His? The question we should be asking is not, ‘Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?’ That is really an unanswerable, pointless question. A better question would be ‘Now that this has happened to me, what am I going to do about it?"

Kushner continues: “Let me suggest that the bad things that happen to us in our lives do not have a meaning when they happen to us. They do not happen for any good reason which would cause us to accept them willingly. But we can give them a meaning. We can redeem these tragedies from senselessness by imposing meaning on them. “

I take it that Mr. Kushner is saying that if we can find or create a meaning for the suffering, it then it becomes bearable.

This makes some sense. What I cannot fathom is – how can anyone believe that God created the universe and everything in it, and yet does not have the power to eliminate evil or to destroy those creating it. Of course He does. The Bible tells us that He destroyed entire nations who refused to repent or stop their evil practices. And He will do it again. God did not create robots that do His will. He gave man the ability to choose, and thus we can choose to do evil. If God stepped in every time a bad thing happened, what would this do to God’s provision that we can choose our own ways?

God is all powerful and all knowing. He alone knows the higher meaning behind every suffering and all the evil brought on by humanity. He has the wisdom, we do not. The Word of God tells us that He will put an end to all suffering in His own time table. What we need to do when we see suffering is to think of what Jesus would do. Then if it is in our power we should act. All of us have skills and resources that can be used to help others. This could be with our hands, our money or with our faith.

At times God allows us to be punished as a direct result of our actions. He is simply letting the consequences of our actions teach us a life lesson that we need. But all suffering is not the result of our personal sin. Often we are victims of other people’s evil actions, or unfortunate circumstances. We could even be targets of other’s hostility toward God. Christ suffered for his righteousness and we could also suffer if we are living for Him.

Sometimes we suffer because God is punishing us for wrongdoing, just as we were disciplined as a child. Who are we to question our Creator’s plans for His creation? Mortals have only a very limited knowledge of His plans, much less ability to understand. At such times we may feel that God has abandoned us. But usually it is we who have abandoned God. When we sin we turn away from God’s love and then wonder what happened to God in our lives. God has a plan for the lives of everyone, but because we have free choice, we can go our own way, often to our detriment. If we allow Him to guide our pathways this can bring joy and fulfillment and the best use of the gifts and talents He has given us. Our lives will become more Christ-like. While I will never be like Christ while on this earth, pledging my life to Him has made a huge change for the better.

Many of the unhappy and unfulfilled people around us have simply refused to follow God’s lead. Or perhaps more likely they have made choices that seemed easy or more fun. Their short-lived enjoyment played out. They made mistakes and rather than looking to God for help, just kept repeating the same mistakes. We see this in the lives of some people who married, divorced because of cruelty or oppression but remarried a similar person.

Many things that cause suffering in the world are the natural occurrence of major storms and earthquakes. In our part of the world we have a degree of control over where we live and some areas are more prone to these disasters. Also war, crime and poverty are evils created by humans. People sin and they suffer as do also innocent ones. Satan may have influenced these sins but many people willingly sin on their own and do their own thing. Until we take responsibility for our sins, we will never understand why we are suffering. We will always believe that it is unjust or someone else’s fault. When someone we know is suffering we should do what we can to comfort them.

Comforting technique may not be an inborn skill for any of us. But we can speak from our heart with honesty, kindness and understanding. Tell them you love them and will be there for them. If it seems right, do something to make their life easier. Let them know that they are loved by God and that He is also there for them and they only have to ask. Everyone has the power to receive God’s merciful grace in times of need. Pray with them if they are willing. Tell them that there are other resources that could help them such as a church or even information on the Internet. Never, though, say that their suffering is meaningless or will go away with time. Instead acknowledge their pain and grief. Even if they say that God is to blame, don’t argue; let them be until you can come back with a message of hope. Perhaps you can relate some event in your life where God really helped you and emphasize that you are no one special, He will help them if they can get to the point where they ask.

God’s healing help is available to everyone. ‘God is love‘ (1 John 4:16). Sometimes we can help others to know God. This can be done by praying with them, just the wonderful “Lord’s Prayer” to start. Point out that prayer is as easy as talking to a friend. God does not want fancy prayer, just our inner feelings, our concerns and our aspirations. We can suggest some Bible verses that might be applicable. There are also some wonderful books that can help us know God such as the one referenced at the end of this writing.

What should we as Christians do when we see evil? We should not assume that everything and everyone that does not agree with our thinking is evil. But if we see hatred and racism or cruelty, we can do something to make the world a better place. We can speak out against it even if we might be afraid of the repercussions. If we see a crime being committed we should tell the authorities. Acts of kindness toward others can counter much evil. There will always be evil with us while we are on this earth, but we should do all we can to counter it, and do what is kind, right and good. This was what Jesus did and what we are expected to do.

The ministry author James L. Christensen said: “The purpose of Christianity is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes. It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough for life.”

Of course we have to believe that the Bible is the Word of God but  most people of the world have not really read the Bible. Sadly, many people in backward countries have never heard of it. Some of our prominent religious organizations do not teach from the Bible. So how could all of these people be able to know what is biblical and what is of this world? It is vital for us to fathom the difference.

We know from the Bible that once man (Adam and Eve) chose to disobey God, then Satan began to rule the world, as he does today. It is the nature of evil to want to destroy the good. While the devil cannot do anything that God does not allow, he has been given free rein over mankind. He is alive and well and works continuously to bring people under his influence. Christians who truly believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, are especially under attack. Satan will stop at nothing to discredit us and even destroy marriages, and to do much worse. So Satan is a major cause of bad happenings.

Lest the reader conclude that all is lost, that is not so. We have already won the battle with Satan. Jesus’ death and resurrection spelt defeat for Satan. The devil will continue to rule the world but his ultimate defeat is certain. Romans 13:14 summed it up: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust”. If we have taken Christ into our lives as our Lord and Savior, we have all the protection we need. Further, we all have received the Holy Spirit to guide us. Each of us receives from God exactly what we need to do what God asks.

Even way back in the Old Testament days, the coming of the Messiah as the “Prince of Peace” was foretold – Isaiah 9:6“. But Matthew 10:34 states that Jesus’ Gospel of peace would have a dividing effect in the world, but ultimately it would provide a way for us to have peace with God and one another.

So what should we do? Those who spread the Gospel of peace will become known as peacemakers, being blessed and called “sons of God” Matthew 5:9. Everywhere the Holy Spirit leads us, and that means everywhere we go, we are to proclaim the victory of Jesus on the cross. This is a victory that brings us peace with God and will one day bring peace to the world. While we may continue to suffer illness and hardship, this will end when we spend eternity with Jesus. All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord.

The following are some interesting quotes from wonderful people:

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”  Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”  C.S. Lewis

“Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a mechanic.”  Dr. Laurence J. Peter

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.”  G. K. Chesterton

“Christianity does not remove you from the world and its problems; it makes you fit to live in it, triumphantly and usefully”  Charles Templeton

“Jesus, like any good fisherman, first catches the fish; then He cleans them”  Mark Potter

 “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”  Mahatma Gandhi

Some of the thoughts in this article were inspired by the great book by Jones and Petersen – “God’s Answer to Tough Questions”.