Tuesday, October 20, 2009

If God Loves Us, Why Does He Allow Bad Things to Happen?


This was a post of mine from February but with so many people hurting, I felt a calling to repost this for all of you. ~ Love and Hugs ~ Kat

“Dear God….”
Why do you allow people to die before they should?

Someone died before his or her time. Don’t we assume that we have a timetable slated when we are supposed to live a full life, like into our older years like 70’s or 80’s? When does the Bible say that? It doesn’t. It states that there is “a time to be born and a time to die”. (Ecclesiastes 3:2) God is in charge of that. We don’t have a say about when we get to be born or when we get to die, but we have everything to do with the time in between and how we choose to live it. Psalm 90:12. “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” means to make the most of our time. Don’t take any of your loved ones for granted. Don’t put off telling someone in your life just how much they mean to you, because no one knows how much time you have left. You don’t have a guarantee on how much time you have left.

There is a book that tells you about “The Things You Must Do Before You Die”, with some of the examples such as going to the academy awards, or running with the Bulls? Running with the bulls? Isn’t that a way to die? Did you know that the author of this book died at the age of 47 after hitting his head after a fall in his home, and he only completed half of the things in his book. The goal isn’t to do all these things but to glorify God. Sure it’s ok to do some of things but they shouldn’t be our life’s focus.
God will give you a peace that passes all understand not give you an understanding.

Don’t worry about it, pray about it and he will give you enough strength to get you through it day by day.

Psalms 61: Here my cry of God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

No one ever said that you would live a trouble-free life in this world.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Bad things happen to Christians as well, problems with our families, dying in unexpected accidents, getting cancer. No one is guaranteed a problem-free life.

Why is it that the words trial and problems occur in the same sentence. Why doesn’t God remove my problems if He loves me? Because God loves you, it’s your definition of how He should show that love that is our mistake and what we think good means in our life. No pain, no suffering, no death, a problem free life with the sun shining and birds singing. Doesn’t that sound appealing?

John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Our definition of good is what benefits us in the here and now and not in the by and by. We are interested in what will benefit us temporarily while God is interested in our eternal benefit.

We are interested in what will make us happy, while God is interested in what will make us holy.

He doesn’t always remove suffering because it makes us stronger and keeps us closer to Him. We can also be used in our situations to glorify Him and bring others to Him through our problems.

Why does God allow it?

1. Adversity levels us and keeps us humble. Prosperity has a tendency to make us proud. We don’t need God when things are going smoothly, the bills are paid, we have a great job, family life is incredible and there is money in the bank. Hopefully however, when adversity comes, we turn to God and see what really matters. It is during times of prosperity we will forget God. When tragedy and adversity hits, we pray and pray a lot.

2. Adversity teaches us eternal truths we would not learn on our own. Our basic objective is to avoid pain at all costs. We want to be comfortable. We want to look good, but we don’t want to sweat, we don’t want the muscle aches and pain, but pain reminds us of a deeper need. Hunger pains, birth pains, back pains, you get it.

God teaches us lessons in those pain filled valleys we wouldn’t have learned on the mountaintops of our life. Things we need to know, things we need to share while we are passing through this life into our eternal one.

3. God allows us to go through these adversities so we will have compassion for others in pain. Never minimalize someone’s pain, but reach out for him or her.
Success builds walls but failures build bridges. When things are going well for you, you got that promotion, you kids got all A’s again, you just bought a new house, paid off all your debt, and you’re sharing that with someone whose life isn’t going well. They are losing their home, they don’t have enough money to put groceries in their home, and their kids are failing in school, it puts up a wall between you and them.

But what happens when a friend comes to you and tells you that they need prayer, that they were just diagnosed with cancer. You care and you want to help them. You should. When we go through adversity, we can help others.

2 Corinthians 1: 4-5 “ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

It was only through the death of Stephen that the worst Christian killer, Saul of Tarsus, was brought to God and became Paul. So sometimes good comes from adversity and tragedy. We just need to look for it and seek God every minute of every day.

30 comments:

Greg C said...

Thanks Kat. That was a very timely post for me today. I do know that God loves us even if we are going through trials in life. I also believe that it is what makes us stronger.

Danae Hudson said...

This Sunday, the sermon was on something very close to this. It was the idea that the cross isn't just about glory, but also suffering. And we can't have one without the other, even if we only want the glory. Christ has won, but he also suffered to achieve it.

Wonderful, wonderful post.

Andrea said...

You know my sister died at age 17. I try not to question GOD, but trust that in HIS wisdom HE has a greater plan and is doing what is best. Sometimes, I have felt she was spared from pain that the rest of us suffer.

Thanks, Kat! Very timely post!
andrea

Mary Ellen said...

Thank you for this post. It really speaks to things going on in our life right now.

Blessings!

~Sandy said...

Thank you Kat for this post. I really needed it today. These last few weeks have been very trying for me and I'm really weak right now. I've found myself often asking, "Why Lord?" I know he has the perfect plan for all of us but at times it is hard to see him working when your world seems upside down. Please keep my family & me in your prayers. I know this is just valley we are going through and that soon we will be on that mountain looking back at where God brought us from. Thank you for always being a blessing to me. *hugs*

Anonymous said...

Great post. When we are God's child everything is for a reason and purpose and I think it is for us to seek it out. God has much to show and teach us and many lessons come through trials. We need to trust Him He has our best, truly our best, in mind.

Rachel
http://stirringthedeep.com

LeeAnn@Encouragement Is Contagious said...

Thank you Kat for this encouraging post! Every time I go through another trial, I am reminded of how He used the last trial for good in my life and to help someone else that I could not have related to well enough to help before. It's comforting to know in the middle of trials that God is going to use it to help someone else and that is so worth it!

Smiles to you today,
Lee Ann

RCUBEs said...

I like the way you wove the powerful Scriptures that answered the questions... Great post. Have a blessed day sister Kat!

Mari said...

Good post Kat. I heard a message at a funeral for a child that has always stuck with me. It was that we are born will a purpose from God. Only after we have fulfilled that purpose does He take us home. Some fulfill theirs much quicker than others, but it is fulfilled nontheless.

Edie said...

I was just thinking about so many things you mentioned in this post. About Stephen, and about God's peace that surpasses understanding. Much more to ponder today. Thanks Kat, you are a blessing.

Much love to you!

He & Me + 3 said...

Well said. God is with us through it all & He is not surprised by what is happening. He loves us & wants us to turn to Him for everything.

Catherine Anne said...

You are so right! Thank you for posting this~

Still Learning said...

What a great post!! Thanks Kat. It can be a very hard thing to grasp sometimes when we are suffering so. I think it is wonderful that you have posted this.

Jenn

Darcie said...

Thank you! Such a wonderful post today, and I am always reminded that trials are not appealing to the human eye, but they can bring about the most beautiful results when God is in control.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I don't have time today to read your entire post but it is so wonderful and powerful. Each day in our lives is a blessing.

Mich said...

Well said.

KrippledWarrior said...

A time is coming when all inequity will be righted and all pain will evaporate. There will be no sickness or death. And all evil will be called into account.
For the collectors in the world I like to say "He who dies with the most toys is still dead."

Five Moms & A Blog said...

What an awesome post. So often we expect the Christian walk to be easy, but the Bible tells us there will be suffering.

Not to mention all the things that happened because of the fall.

Still, we are often taken by surprise. When we are refined by the Refiner's fire we know that He is in control and that we can trust Him, even when it hurts.

~ Nan

Saleslady371 said...

Jesus warned us we would have trouble, but He never leaves us so we can bear it and boy, oh boy trials really make us humble.

Unknown said...

Dear Sister! I am going to share this one with my dear hubby... We have a friend who was in a wreck today, and is on that edge of life and death. Brett's biggest and painful question over and over is why did this have to happen to him? This guy is a GOOD man, one of the best. All I could tell him over and over is that the sun shines on all of us, the rain falls on all of us. Its not for us to understand, but if we look to Him, we can find peace. Thank you for reposting this, as I had not read it when you posted it the first time. This is exactly what he and I both need right now.

Heidi said...

I'm reading late, Kat and running out of steam, but wanted to say- thanks for the post!

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Great post....so glad I stopped by tonight.....I needed that....READ

Collette@Jesuslovesmums said...

this is a great post and explained very well Kat. Very insightful and true.
Love Collette xxx

Deborah Ann said...

You have some very good answers to why we must go through adversity. It's so helpful to understand why God allows it, and why we actually need it. It increases our faith and deepens our love. It's a good thing, but it feels so hard while we're going through it. Great post, Kat!

Kelly said...

This was a really good post. It's a subject I try to avoid, honestly, but important none the less.

I've had a lot of adversity in my life, and it did shape me into ME!

Thena said...

We never know what we go through, our story may touch someone else. I will never forget at my brother's funeral, the people that commented how strong my Mom was. But she had what they didn't, she had strength through Jesus, and they didn't. Even though it was hard then, it became easier knowing that he was safe now with Jesus. That we didn't have to worry about where he was anymore.

Beth Herring said...

What a great post here, Kat. Many people ask this question and don't really know the answer. I love the way you let the Spirit speak here today.

Mimmy said...

Kat, you have such a great insight into so many things. Thank you for sharing this at a time when it is so much needed. My father and I were just talking about all of the sad things happening in this world right now. We all need to pray daily for all of those who are in the grips of sadness and pain.

God Bless,
Mimmy

Aine Willis said...

I have been asking this same question. I know the answers but still feel my heart asking ... why? We recently lost a young mother and wife in our church family. Understanding it is so hard. Thank you for your post. God Bless.

Denise said...

Bless you for this wonderful post.