Hang in There

“Why do bad things happen to good people?”

“If God is so loving, how can He allow bad things to happen to His people?”

We’ve all heard these questions. Perhaps we have asked them ourselves. In the book of Job, two remarks made by the central figure, Job, in the midst of his struggles, have helped me gain answers to these tough queries: "God knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold." (Job 23:10). "Even if God kills me, I will hope in him." (Job 13:15).

I have found Job’s observations to be true in my own life. God has used conflict and challenges to teach me, to strengthen me, to mold me, to discipline me—to make me a better person. I have learned I can trust Him—no matter what.

• Seven years of foster-parenting our daughter--not knowing from one day to the next if we would get to adopt her or she would be taken from us--helped me learn not to trust circumstances but God.
• Seven days of our son going from bad to worse in ICU while the doctors tried to figure out what was really wrong taught me to lean on God, not humanity.
• A diagnosis of cancer and the consequent surgery and chemo showed me that God can bring us through even our worst nightmare.
• The heartache of watching my children make choices that I knew would end up biting them in the butt gave me a better understanding of the heart of God.

Some days I felt like the squirrel in the picture. Few people knew the fear, the anguish, the frustration, or the anger I felt while going through those trials. I wore a faith mask, put on a faith persona, until that appearance of faith became genuine faith. And in every circumstance, that faith became reality—I knew that I knew that I knew God was lovingly present, acutely aware, and actively working.

Why do bad things happen to good people? If God is so loving, how can He allow bad things to happen to His people? 2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “These temporary troubles we suffer are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing.”

Years later, I can see how God used “bad things” to improve and temper me. The greatest benefit has been a greater dependency on God.

Christian author, Glynnis Whitwer writes, “There’s no conflict so difficult, no moment so dark, no situation so hopeless that [God] can’t bring good out of it. Today we can choose to trust Him rather than rely on only what we can see.”

Be encouraged!

Pam

©2018 Pamela D. Williams