One of the questions that came up in each of the four services was some form of "Why do bad things happen to good people?" or "If I am trying to live my life for Christ then whey do bad things keep happening to me?"
Our panel answered the question well. But as I sat there I began to wonder...
Maybe the problem is not why God would allow these things to happen. Maybe the problem is my definition of "bad". Maybe bad things never happen to me... difficult things, challenging things, tough things, horrific things, tragic things, yes, but "bad" things? I don't think so.
Psalm 119:68 says this about God, "You are good, and everything you do is good."
I'm not saying that the difficult, challenging, tough, horrific, tragic things come from God, but I am saying that He is good and everything He does is good. And if He is good, and He allowed these "bad" things into my life, then maybe, just maybe, they aren't "bad" after all. No matter how horrible they may seem according to my definition and understanding of life, the One who knows all and sees all and has all understanding of the past, present, and future, determined that this "bad" circumstance would serve a good purpose. I may never understand that in my human condition, but that's OK. I trust that He is good.
Isaiah 61 tells us that Jesus came to give us a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. So whatever "bad" may happen in my life, God plans to transform it into something good.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him," Romans 8:28
Thank you, God, for a new perspective and for a tiny glimpse of Who you are. Help me always to remember that You ARE good and everything You do is good.
Thanks, Laura, for sharing this verse with me! I will rest in His goodness right along side of you. Your encouragement and wisdom mean so much to me.
ReplyDeleteLove you,
Stacey
Thanks for your perspective. The past 2 years have been the most trying of my entire life and I keep asked when the trials will end and why they are continuing. People tell me God is really grooming me for something great and I think I'm tired of being "groomed" I just want somthing good to happen.
ReplyDeleteI also thought Mark's comment about us being under God's umbrella was awesome. I have struggled with the right/wrong debate for so long and never realized that it's not an either/or situation.
Thank you for your blog. You have encouraged me so much!!!
This is such an awesome way to look at it!
ReplyDeleteSo often I am worried about how these things affect me, the easiest thing to say is that it's bad. The harder way to look at it is as if it is a challenge, or if there is some greater reason for it happening to me. I have to remember that my plan is not God's plan!
Thank you for your wisdom, friend!
As Joseph said to his brothers at the end of Genesis, when they stumbled upon him in need of food after selling him into slavery...he told them that though they intended to harm him or have harm done to him that God intended it to happen for the result of the saving of many lives...including theirs.
ReplyDeleteSome versions I have seen say that "though satan meant it for evil God turned it to good"... replacing human beings... his brothers...to an actual act of satan but God in the end turned it all out for good.
So when things seem so evil, so dark, so bad that we can't see the forest through the trees... we have to know that God is working it out for good... 'for all things work for good for those who love the Lord'... even though it seems so harsh at times... so unbearable... we have to hang in there because when we love God and cling to Him and put every bit of our hope in Him then we can be assured He is working it all out for good... so much good we can't even comprehend it!!!!
Yup! It's all for our good and His glory. We grow and we grow...or we allow it to squash us flat. I'm choosing to grow.
ReplyDelete