Why do bad things happen to God's people?

Today I find myself asking an age-old question with a slightly different take on it. I’ve been asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” While I understand the question it is built on a faulty premise; that there are people who are ‘good’. Romans 3:12 states “there is none righteous, no not one.” If that’s true the question could rightfully be asked, “Why do bad things happen to bad people?” But for most reading this, the question is phrased still differently; “Why do bad things happen to God’s people?” That’s the rub for those of us who know Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that we are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” So why do bad things happen to God’s people? I think there are a few answers worth considering.

1. Pain makes us focus on what is most important – to put this another way, pain has a way of improving our perspective. While in seminary I had a pretty difficult job where I went into the jail 5 days a week and spoke to offenders of non-violent crimes. Life was hard adjusting to having a 1 year old daughter, being a student, and working full-time. Then out of the blue one day, after a routine doctor appointment, I was told I had a blood disease that “about 90% of the people with this live.” Quickly my perspective switched from I have a tough job working with difficult people to am I going to live to see my little girl grow up.
2. Pain reminds me I need help from outside of myself – as long as I can ‘deal’ with everything that comes my way, why would I need God to help me? The greatest problem any of us face is our lost condition without Christ. This pain brought on by hopelessness and helplessness, we know from the scripture, can only be dealt with through the blood of Jesus Christ. Pain reminds me that there are some things in life that no matter how hard I try, I cannot make them any better; that I need help from someone else.
3. Pain happens so I will learn to trust only in God – this one is really pretty easy to understand. God allows us to go through tough times because it’s only when we have to trust Him do we really learn that we can trust Him.
4. Pain prepares me to help others – nothing is ever wasted with God. The pain we experience today, while God did not cause it, He will use it to His glory. That blood disease I had, God did not cause that; I got sick because I live in a fallen world inside of a fallen body. But God did use it by allowing me to cross paths with others dealing with the same illness and questions I had pondered. God did not cause Jan’s two miscarriages, but He has used them by giving us the opportunity to minister to others who were experiencing the same heartache that we had to work through.

Recently I had back surgery and have a 6-inch scar on my spine to prove it. The recovery was painful; the first few days I was praying ‘come quickly Lord Jesus.’ I didn’t want to have to endure another minute of that pain. Now I am past that and if you were to see my back you’d simply see a scar. But that scar has a story behind it. Friend every scar you have has a story to tell as well; maybe from a surgery, an injury, an accident, or battle. Scars prove two things to you and to those who see them. They prove that you have suffered and they also prove you have survived. So when pain comes and the hurt is excruciating and you don’t feel like going on, know that the God who delivered you in the past, you can trust Him to deliver you again. To live is Christ and to die is gain; we are winners either way!

When heaven is silent ...

Our 30^th President was Calvin Coolidge. President Coolidge was a man of few words and when he did speak he was known for his bluntness. One time a female journalist said to the President, “Mr. President, I made a $100 bet with another journalist that I could get you to say more than three words in this interview. Would you care to comment?” President Coolidge smiled at her and said, “You lose”. From then on he was often referred to by the nickname “Silent Cal”.

There are times when we want to refer to God as “Silent God”. In times of painful trials and tribulations we often cry out, “Why, God? Why me? Where are you?” and in response it seems that heaven is silent; more than once this has been my experience. Job in the bible is the poster child for enduring pain, suffering, and loss. He’s a wealthy family man with 10 children, and God declares he is “righteous”. Satan then accuses God of having bought Job’s worship by blessing him so much. God allows a satanic attack where job loses his wealth, and his children. When Job still doesn’t turn on God, Satan inflicts him with boils from his head to toe. It’s at this time his wife turns on him asking if he still held to his integrity; she wanted him to admit all of their problems were because of him and his sin. As she tells him to “curse God and die” (see Job 2:9), Job’s three ‘friends’ show up and tell Job there must be some great sin in his life or he’d not be having the troubles he is.

For about 35 chapters Job questions his friends and also questions God. While his friends are a broken record saying it must be his sin, God is silent. It’s not until Job 38 that God answers, and when He does, He answers Job with questions of His own. In Job 38:3 God says to Job “I’m going to question you and you will answer Me.” In chapters 38-41, God asks Job no less than 187 questions. Questions like “Where were you when I created the earth?” (38:4-7); “How many sunrises have you made?” (38:12-13); and “Can you control the stars?” (38:31-33).

Let me suggest three lessons that Job learned, that are lessons we need to know when heaven seems silent.

Lesson #1 – God often speaks to us during our storms. Job 38:1 says that “God answered Job out of the whirlwind”. The world whirlwind, according to Strong’s, can be translated ‘hurricane’. So God spoke to Job out of a great storm. I believe God still speaks to us in our storms. Whatever storm you face today; marital, financial, familial, relational, whatever, if you will listen for His voice I think God will speak to you out of that storm. Often the reason heaven seems silent, at least to me, is because I want a different answer than what God seems to be giving.

Lesson #2 – We are speechless before God’s power and His wisdom. In Job 23:3-4 Job had boasted, “Oh that I knew where I might find Him that I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.” Job wants to go all Larry King on God; God you sit there and I will ask the questions and you answer them. But after hearing the 187 questions from God, in 42:6 Job says he “abhors” himself. The word “abhor” is the Hebrew word ‘galal’ which means lightweight. In other words Job becomes overwhelmed by God’s greatness and His ignorance of the ways of God and admits when compared to God he is an intellectual lightweight.

Lesson #3 – There is peace when you trust in the sovereignty of God. The easiest way to define sovereignty in my mind is by saying “God has the right to do whatever He pleases.” God rules and reigns and His way and will is always perfect.

So if you are walking in troubled silence today, and God does not seem to be answering, I would encourage you to remember the words to Arron’ Shust’s song My Savior My God. The words say, “I am not skilled to understand, What God has willed what God Has planned. I only know at His right hand, Stands One who is my Savior.” Here’s a simple prayer you may need to pray today. “Father, I don’t understand You or Your ways today. But I will trust You with today and trust You with all my tomorrows.” Be blessed and know you are never alone (see Hebrews 13:5).