Bad Things Happen to Good People

I believe yesterday marked the one billionth time I was asked the question I find most difficult to answer: Why do bad things happen?

To tell you the truth, I wish I knew. I have a lot of thoughts on the topic-a few of which I will share with you now. But, in all honesty, I do not know. No one knows. All we can do is have faith that God is a loving, merciful, generous God who wants nothing but the best for us.

Here Goes.

It all goes back to the "In the beginnings." Remember the whole Adam and Eve story? Well, I find one of the most pressing points of that story to be God giving mankind the freedom to choose. God allows us to make choices. This does not mean that God always likes the choices we make. "Bad things happen to good people." We hear that quote all too often. Good people make bad choices. Joshua 1:5 says: "No one will be able to stand their ground against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you."  God is with us whether we are the ones making the bad choices or suffering repercussions of others' poor choices.

Sometimes in life, we feel as though we have nothing left to hold on to. We feel weak, abandoned, and out of control. Sometimes things happen that we can't do anything about. People get sick. Friendships end. Jobs are terminated. It is in these times we need to remember that God is in full control. I have said it before and I will say it again, when bad things happen-whether we are hurting, angry or sad-it is not because we did something wrong, nor is it because we didn't do enough "right." Bad things happen because we, as human beings, were given the freedom to make our own choices, thus creating sin. People do things to hurt one another, evil does exist, and no, it's not fair. It is okay to be angry, God gets angry too...but remember to forgive. It is okay to be sad, but remember when you cry that God is right there, sad and crying with you.

No matter what happens, remember what we read in Romans 8:28: "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."

What does this mean? God will make something good come from every bad situation. We may be blinded by our own pain and anger in the moment, but upon looking back at the incident, even the most painful experiences produce something beautiful.

If you remember nothing else of these ramblings, please remember this: bad things happen to everyone. Sometimes these are big and obvious happenings, other times these are small and unapparent. Regardless of your situation, it is not because you weren't a "good enough" Christian. It is not because you did something wrong. God does not make bad things happen; God takes those bad things and creates alternate routes to fulfill His plan for us-and God's plan is one of glory, love and grace.

God is good. All the time.