We’ve all heard the expression, “Why do bad things happen to good people“? It’s a fair question, right? Well, not quite. Here’s what I mean. That question should cause us to ask this question, what is meant by “good people”? If by good we mean people that have demonstrated kind acts, loved ones, family members, friends that we know personally that are usually nice and caring, then okay, for the sake of the argument, we’ll call them good. But, if by good we mean they are good by nature, or they are “morally” inline, then we are mistaken in calling them good. Jesus was once called a “good teacher. His response is eye-opening. He responded by asking an odd question. He asked “why do you call me good, only God is good” Why did He say this? I mean c’mon, Jesus is the epitome of good. He’s as good as anyone will ever be…EVER… I believe His point was to remind this young, wealthy individual that no one is good except God. Jesus wasn’t denying His own divinity. Rather, Jesus was immediately getting this man to think about what “good” really means -since only God is good, then what we normally call human goodness might be something else entirely. But back to our question, why do bad things happen to good people? Let’s change that question just a bit. What if we simply asked, why do bad things happen at all? Now we’re asking a different question altogether, and the response is now different. I wish that there was a simple answer. I would love to be able to say in one quick reply, here’s why bad things happen. But I can’t, and neither can you. It’s complex, it’s deep, it’s frustrating. But because I’m a pastor, Ill try. Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world. We live in a realm where sin and rebellion and lawlessness exist. I realize that this doesn’t make it any easier, it doesn’t comfort us when something terrible comes upon us or on a friend and loved one. But here’s the good part, IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO! Simply knowing the why isn’t what comforts us, it doesn’t bring us the healing we so need in our hearts, and sometimes in our bodies. Only the WHO can do that. The WHO that sits unshakeable on His throne, the WHO that rules and reigns over every square inch of every universe and galaxy. The inescapable truth is that bad things are gonna happen. The undeniable truth is that God is Lord and Sovereign over it all! The good, the bad, the ugly. He is Master over it. There is a precious young girl that attends C.F.C.C. with her family. I’ve become very close to this family over the past year. This remarkable girl fights a battle every day. She has to deal with something that no child should. But she faces her illness with courage and faith, DAILY!! Her Grandmother told me that one night during one of her episodes of immense pain she said to her, “out of all the people I know, why do I have to have this?” Hearing that broke my heart. I left that conversation and I was mad!!! I was angry with God…. wait, what, you’re not supposed to get mad at God, sure I can, and so can you, and so can that sweet, tough, little girl. It’s what you do with that anger that matters. So I said, God cmon, do something will ya!!! God reminded me, and so I’ll now remind you, and my awesome little friend, that God has done something, He sent Jesus. Into a world that is full of bad, a place with a lot of hurt and sin and yuck, He sent His only Son. And Jesus makes it all better. Jesus is the hope, healing, and comfort that sustains us and drives us on, believing and expecting that we’ll be okay! And guess what? YOU WILL BE OKAY! So when confronted with that question, either from someone asking you or you ask it, why do bad things happen to good people? Simply answer it like this… that only happened once, and His name was Jesus, and it happened so I could live eternally with Him in a place where there will be no more bad! So look up and push on!
Peace!
-Pastor Matt
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