If God is good and loving, why does He allow bad things to happen?
I would venture to say that everyone has asked this question at some point.
I also believe that wondering this is a main thing that keeps many people from trusting in God.
It's a tough question.
This is something my husband and I have talked about a lot recently. I feel like I could post a lot on the subject, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet.
I have dealt with things in the 2 years we've been married that I never would have expected to deal with.
It was so easy to question God. It was so easy to compare myself to others (you know the whole grass is greener thing). It was so easy to get angry and upset.
What was not easy was persevering and trusting. What was not easy was having faith. What was not easy was finding something to be thankful for amongst all the bad.
But that's what I tried to do. I tried to remember to look for the good. I tried to remember that I still had plenty to be thankful for.
This was not easy, but it was worth it. It helped.
I know that there are people out there who have dealt with MUCH worse things than me.
In any situation, I believe that the key to getting though it and still trusting God is having a close relationship with the Lord. If you're simply a "Christian" by name, you will turn away from God in times of trouble.
If you've been in church any amount of time, you've probably heard the story of Job. He was a man of God who had almost everything taken away from him, yet he never sinned against God or stopped trusting Him.
The "famous verse" is "The Lord gave and The Lord has taken away, may the name of The Lord be praised." -Job 1: 21
The thing that struck me more in this story, though, was what Satan said to God at the beginning in reference to Job: "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." -Job 1:10-11
This turned out to not be true of Job, but how many of us would this be true for? Do we only expect to worship and love God in the good times? When everything's going great, it's easy to "trust" God and love Him. My Bible includes this note that I really liked in reference to this verse: "Adversity destroys this superficial faith. But adversity strengthens real faith by causing believers to dig their roots deeper into God in order to withstand the storms."
Remember how I said a real relationship with God was key to trusting God through the hard times? It's like the wise man who builds his house on the rock instead of the sand. When you have a strong foundation in God and His Word, you will stand firm when the hard times come. That doesn't mean those times still won't be hard and it doesn't mean things still won't hurt.
So, why do we question God? In the end, it comes down to this. God created us, He allows us to live {despite our sinful natures}, and He can let happen to us whatever He wishes. Romans 9:20 says: "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"
It comes down to grace. The Greek word for grace is Charis. This means "undeserved gift." When we look at our lives and everything we have as charis, it's a little easier to get through the hard times. We didn't do anything to "earn" our life or anything we have. It's all an undeserved gift from God. As anything, this is easier said than done.
We were never guaranteed an easy life. James 1:2-4 says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its works so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Notice 2 things. It says to consider it joy when you face trials. It also says whenever you face trials, not if you face trials. I believe this verse to be true not just because it's God's Word, but also because of experience. Persevering through trials will grow you in your faith and as a person.
Ok...I know I said I'd keep it short and sweet, but there's just so much to be said on this subject. What has helped you get through storms in your life?
Linking up here:
This turned out to not be true of Job, but how many of us would this be true for? Do we only expect to worship and love God in the good times? When everything's going great, it's easy to "trust" God and love Him. My Bible includes this note that I really liked in reference to this verse: "Adversity destroys this superficial faith. But adversity strengthens real faith by causing believers to dig their roots deeper into God in order to withstand the storms."
Remember how I said a real relationship with God was key to trusting God through the hard times? It's like the wise man who builds his house on the rock instead of the sand. When you have a strong foundation in God and His Word, you will stand firm when the hard times come. That doesn't mean those times still won't be hard and it doesn't mean things still won't hurt.
So, why do we question God? In the end, it comes down to this. God created us, He allows us to live {despite our sinful natures}, and He can let happen to us whatever He wishes. Romans 9:20 says: "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"
It comes down to grace. The Greek word for grace is Charis. This means "undeserved gift." When we look at our lives and everything we have as charis, it's a little easier to get through the hard times. We didn't do anything to "earn" our life or anything we have. It's all an undeserved gift from God. As anything, this is easier said than done.
We were never guaranteed an easy life. James 1:2-4 says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its works so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Notice 2 things. It says to consider it joy when you face trials. It also says whenever you face trials, not if you face trials. I believe this verse to be true not just because it's God's Word, but also because of experience. Persevering through trials will grow you in your faith and as a person.
Ok...I know I said I'd keep it short and sweet, but there's just so much to be said on this subject. What has helped you get through storms in your life?
Linking up here:
1 comment:
Such truth here! I have just finished reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom - an amazing display of faith in adversity. A great post Megan - I will need to remind myself of these words over the next few months!
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