Bad Things
This past week was kind of a mess. Many of us experienced what it's like to live without electricity - again. We flip a switch and expect the lights to come on. We turn on the faucet, open the refrigerator, turn on the air conditioner - and all of those things just happen. - Until they don't. And then something as ordinary as electricity becomes a really big deal.
We've seen trees down everywhere, roads blocked, homes damaged, food spoiling, people without air conditioning - and some in our own congregation are still without power.
Storms have a way of reminding us just how little control we actually have over our circumstances. We can plan and prepare, and a storm rips through anyway. Looking at all the destruction, I'm amazed there weren't more fatalities or injuries. But "it could have been worse" doesn't mean this wasn't awful.
When we can understand the 'why' behind frustration or tragedy, it doesn't make it painless - but it can make it easier to process. One of the most challenging questions we can ask can either encourage our faith, or break it. That question, simply is…
I. Why?
Why do bad things happen? Why do they happen to good people? Why does a good God allow bad things to happen to His people? Why does God step in and perform a miracle in some situations and seemingly remain silent in others? Why? And perhaps more importantly... Where is our hope when we don't have an answer?
I want to look at the subject from a spiritual perspective without giving oversimplified answers. God doesn't want us to follow blindly just because a preacher tells us so. He wants us to have genuine answers. But even when we can't get solid answers, to still be able to have a solid faith that can get us through the tough times.
So, why do bad things happen? The first spiritual answer, whether we always understand it or not, simply put, is to…
A. Strengthen our faith
Many times, there is a purpose behind the fact that God allows bad things to happen – even if we can't see it at the time, or ever for that matter. The Bible tells us that there is a purpose to difficult times. Let's look in James 1:2-4 (NIV)...
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
When we're stretched by hardships, it helps us to become stronger in our faith. That doesn't mean I'll like it or it will be painless, but James encourages us to look on the tough times with joy.
Now, I won't stand here today and pretend that having that attitude is easy. It's not. It's like saying in order to look on hardships with joy you have to be strong in the faith, but in order to become strong in the faith you have to endure hardships with joy. It sounds like James is encouraging us to do the impossible - but we serve a God who specializes in the impossible.
Many times, God does have a good reason, a higher purpose for allowing us to go through bad things. But we also see Jesus' words in Matthew 5:44-45 (NIV)...
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
The sun and the rain come equally to the good and bad of this world. Many times there is a specific purpose - and other times – I believe that some things just happen because we live in a…
B. Fallen world
Sometimes, bad things just happen. God created a perfect world for us to live in at the beginning of creation – a world where bad things did not happen. There was no pain, no suffering, no death – but things changed when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Look at Paul's words in Romans 5:12 (NIV)...
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned
Sometimes bad things happen to us because we make bad choices. Sometimes, even when we make all the right choices – bad things still happen. "Well, that's not fair!" You're right, it's not. But because we chose to disobey God and now live in a 'sin infected world' – that's life. But that's exactly why Jesus died on a cross for you – because God doesn't want us to spend eternity in a 'sin infected world'.
Sometimes, we bring trouble on ourselves – other times, very good people have very bad things happen to them through no fault of their own. Why? Sometimes it's allowed to strengthen our faith, other times it's just because we live in a fallen world. And yet other times, the Bible tells us that it's directly related to the fact that Satan is alive and well in this world. And he wants to make us miserable, to blame God for our troubles, and reject Him. And the question then becomes…
II. How do we respond?
Sometimes we understand why bad things happen. Other times, we're left wondering and hurting. And when we can't find an answer, the natural response is…
A. Anger
We can question whether or not that's the best response – but we can't deny that it's a real response, even for mature Christians. Scripture gives us plenty of examples of anger, including Jesus Himself in Mark 3:1-5 (NIV)...
Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. (2) Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. (3) Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." (4) Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.
(5) He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
Jesus was angry because the teachers of the law were more concerned with their own reputation than the pain and suffering of a man whom God created.
Anger itself isn't necessarily sinful. There are things that ought to make us angry - things that are wrong, things that are unjust. But sometimes, if we're honest, our anger is directed toward God. "God, why did You let this happen?" "Why didn't You stop it?" "Why did You answer their prayer and not mine?" "Why did they get a miracle and I didn't?" "Why am I still traveling to Cincinnati Children's Hospital every month...?"
Those aren't easy questions. And sometimes we're afraid to admit that we've even asked them, because 'Christians aren't supposed to question God'. But look through Scripture. David asked God, "How long, O Lord?" Jeremiah questioned God. Even Jesus, hanging on the cross, cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
God is big enough for our questions. He's big enough for our doubts. And He's big enough for our anger.
As believers, many times, we almost feel we have to minimize the bad things that happen. We say things like – "Someone's in a better place" and "God has a plan". And yes, those things are very true – but knowing that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to hurt.
God didn't create us for a world of suffering; He created a perfect world! Yes, He is in control and can bring good from tragedy for those who love Him – but we don't have to pretend that tragedy doesn't hurt. But we do have to be careful with what we do with those feelings. Paul says in Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV)...
"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (27) and do not give the devil a foothold.
Notice what Paul doesn't say, "Don't ever be angry." He says, "In your anger, do not sin." Anger may be natural. It may even be justified. But we can't allow it to become our final response. James explains it this way in James 1:19-20 (NIV)...
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, (20) for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
We can take our anger to God rather than allowing it to take us away from God.
Trials don't automatically make us stronger Christians. They only do that when we turn our focus away from the bad things and onto our only source of hope. And when we do that, God can then take those feelings of anger and begin to turn it into…
B. Spiritual growth
Do we let hard times accomplish anything in our lives other than frustrating us? Spiritual growth is a choice. Hard times don't automatically make us grow - we still have to choose to respond in a way that allows God to work in us.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (7) These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Will you allow God to work through your circumstances, or will you misdirect your anger toward Him? A mature response to tragedy is learning to praise God even when we don't feel like praising Him. When tragedy comes your way – and it will – will your first response be to praise God? That's a tough one.
We've been talking about what happened in our own community this week. We've seen what a storm can do. Trees down, homes and property damaged, power out. Things we depended upon suddenly aren't there. And not to minimize any of our difficulties - but think about the story of Job.
Job was a very blessed, very wealthy man. All on the same day, raiders came and stole his oxen and donkeys and killed his servants who were watching them. Then a fire killed his sheep and more servants. In another field, thieves stole his camels and again killed his servants. Finally, a storm came and blew down the house where his ten children were and they all died.
Job lost everything in one day! And Job's response is one of the most remarkable passages in Scripture…
Job 1:20-21 (NIV)
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship (21) and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
That's the response of a man who trusted God. He didn't deny the tragedy, but he recognized his hope was in God and in Him alone. The hardships of life combined with Job's growing relationship with God allowed Him to praise God even through his pain.
We can grow to the point of praising God through tragedy. Not an empty, going-through-the-motions praise, but genuine devotion to God despite the pain, anger and loss.
Romans 5:1-4 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (3) Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; (4) perseverance, character; and character, hope.
So What?
I don't claim to know all the answers as to why bad things happen to good people. I do know that God is still in control and still working even when I can't see Him or He feels far away. I do know that He doesn't make mistakes, is never surprised by circumstances, and never needs a "Plan B." And I know that no matter what tragedies happen to us in this world, God is bigger than all of them. God can turn devastating circumstances into victories according to His plan and in His time.
We've spent a lot of time this past week thinking about power. We know what it's like when we don't have it. We can't turn on the lights. We can't run the refrigerator. We quickly rediscover how much of our lives depends on something we normally take for granted.
Storms can knock down trees. Storms can destroy property. Storms can interrupt our plans. Storms can even take lives. But storms cannot take away our hope! A storm can take away our electrical power but it cannot stop the power of God! Our hope isn't in our circumstances. Our hope is in Jesus Christ!
And that's why Paul could say... "We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God... suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
I suppose it doesn't really matter why bad things happen as long as we keep our eyes on the One who gives us hope.