Devotional – When Bad Things Happen (To Good People)
The last week was real tough for a few friends of mine. It is too sad to talk about. Suffice to say it had to do with the loss of life.
There are some bad things that happen that causes you to question life, question God and be mad with the world. You wonder what is wrong with you. Or, what wrong you have done so that evil came knocking at your door.
When Evil Happens to God’s People
When evil happens to bad people, you think to yourself that you’re sorry but they looked for it. Because, you reap what you sow. I mean, it’s in the Bible, so it must be true.
But…when you see good people, who serve God faithfully and are always there for others and bad things happen to them, or tragedy strikes their family or life in some way – how do you rationalize then?
When I have No Answers
I have learned that, when I have no answers, I can always go to God and His Word, for comfort and wisdom to deal with the situations in life.
Last week was really difficult to swallow. It wasn’t just one thing happening to one person, but several things happened to several people all at once.
I wanted to ask God why. The question was burning in me. But I knew that God heard my heart.
Suddenly people from the Bible kept popping into my head and I knew the Holy Spirit was answering my question without me asking it. Great men like Job, Daniel, Joseph and women such as Ruth and Esther.
When Tragedy Strikes Great People
The one thing all of these people had in common was that tragedy knocked at their doors (especially Job and Joseph). They were all great people, doing good, living for God.
Then, all of a sudden, such evil and difficulty befell them that it had them whirling, and it took a lot out of them to continue to praise and trust God.
In Job 1: 20 – 22 the Bible says that “Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”
The most significant part of Job’s difficulty had to do with the devil making false accusations against Job. Job was tested for his faithfulness.
I realize that even when God blessed Job, in the latter, with more than he had in the former – he still wasn’t aware why tragedy had struck him.
When Bad Things Come Our Way
Now I know that it is when bad things and difficulty comes our way it’s then God wants us to trust Him ever more and lean on Him ever more. The most important truth to remember is that God still sits on His throne.
He still reigns on high and He loves you more than you’ll ever know.
At the end of it all, once you keep trusting in God and keep your faith in Him, then no matter how bad things appear, no matter how painful or inexpiable, God can bring beauty out of it all.
James 1:2-3 – Trials and Temptations – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Today I encourage you to keep trusting in the Lord with all your heart. In His time, He will take your ashes and give you beauty, Amen.