Faith | Why do bad things happen to good people? It’s an age-old question
It never ceases to amaze me that in my Christian life the greatest and most appreciated blessings have come after the most agonizing sufferings.
In a normal lifetime, everyone faces many difficult challenges.
Some of mine, and some that I’ve witnessed, are many: Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, debilitating strokes, depression, financial challenges, divorce, a child diagnosed with an extreme illness or special needs, death of a family member or loved one. Personally, I was diagnosed with a two-year cancer death sentence many years ago, yet it turned out to be a very slow growing cancer that has gone on for over 25 years.
Suffering and trials come in various ways. For example, it’s been sad to see how many Christians in different parts of the world are being persecuted for their beliefs. But somehow, even in these hardships, suffering seems to bring people to a closer relationship with God.
In the Bible, the Apostle Paul knew that God would never let him be tested beyond what he could handle. He seemed to have harnessed the perfect Godly attitude towards suffering, looked forward to trials and tribulations. He knew that his sufferings would not only bring glory to God, but add personal fulfillment in his own life. Could you imagine looking forward to suffering?
So why does a holy God allow bad things to happen to good people?
He’s given us free will to make our own choices and in an imperfect world, bad things can happen. I believe that without freedom of choice, love has no meaning. Most assuredly, God did not create us to be mindless, meaningless robots, but instead he loves us enough to let us choose.
God has given each of us the freedom of choice in every situation. Being imperfect, sinful, and mortal humans, freedom of choice opens the gates for the evil in the world to manifest, breed and grow.
Thankfully, he gave us a way out of that evil: If we believe that Jesus Christ is a part of God in the flesh, and that he sacrificed himself on the Cross and rose again, then we know his perfect righteousness and a future in heaven with him.
Even though I’m just a speck on the map of the universe, I know that God loves me and has given me true meaning and purpose in life. I know that God will always use my sufferings for the good, even if I don’t get to see the final outcome in this lifetime.
I’m sure I will never be like the Apostle Paul, who looked forward to sufferings, but I know that his is the type of faith and trust in God that we should all strive for.
God’s ways and wisdom far exceed our own and we as Christians have faith in God, trusting that he knows what is best for us. Everything God does, or allows, is ultimately for our own good and his glory. It’s comforting to know that God will always turn our sufferings into blessings.