Randyhartford Loc: Lawrence, Kansas

Greetings and Happy Sunday all
Fishing Stagers and guests!

Last week on FS, on February 28th, a question was asked on the thread titled “Prayer power…”, that was very similar to the title of our devotion today. One can fill in the blank with a variety of things, but the most typical way this question is posed, is this: “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” In my own experience, this has been the most-asked question I’ve heard by both believers, and nonbelievers alike.

There doesn’t seem to be a single answer to this question, yet we can find many different answers, through studying God’s Word, that help us to better understand why God does what He does, and also His character, in general.

In the thread I referenced above,
I posted a lengthy post in an attempt to answer the question, and included three short video commentaries by others that I felt were very helpful. Here are those videos:

https://youtu.be/63BsTpTMZkI?si=IR6q4f7Bvl9jkEBN

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QtgjQIdGXuI

https://youtu.be/H4NBhrooJ7M?si=cuhO5rn56cHn3Y3g

There was also a post by a new member of FS that included what I believe to be the best, concise commentary on this subject I’ve ever read. His username is Tenmile and he has given me permission to include his post in this devotion, so here it is:

Some Christians appear to never have doubts about their faith. I can’t say that. My questioning raised doubts that weakened my faith. Questions such as;
· Why are there badly deformed and terminally-ill innocent children,
· Why do people, some who are faithful Christians, live for years in severe pain.
· Why wars where good people are victimized by tyrants and wars that turn brother against brother.
These, and more.
If God loves us, why doesn’t He step in and do something about all the suffering in the world? Where is God when bad things happening to good people? Do not forget that suffering was not present in the beginning, it is a product of the fall, a consequence of human sin against God. Suffering is in our lives because we are living in a broken/evil world. Some suffering is due to our sinful and wrong choices, but some is due simply to the world being fallen. But still an all powerful and loving God could remove suffering from the innocent and the faithful, right? Yet he allows suffering to persist, why? I found no easy answer. In fact do we really deserve an answer to such a difficult question?
In the Old Testament we read of Job, a truly faithful man who suffered mercilessly and petitioned God as to why. After much deliberation Job realized that he had no right to demand an answer from God, he said, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” But God has not kept us totally ignorant, He has given us some answers.
In Romans chapter 5 Paul wrote “we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance (produces) character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
So suffering may be a “school” of experience, and present impediments may ultimately be seen as a part of our life’s foundation. It’s through our suffering that we grow in our personality and more importantly grow in our faith.
It’s in this growth of faith in which we find more answers. Well maybe not answers but rather an understanding, or a putting of things into perspective. I ask myself, what would cause me great suffering and cause me to feel forsaken? Maybe the loss of one of my children, grandchildren or my spouse? Yet God Himself gave up His Son, for lowly little us, so we could be saved and have eternal life. A severe injury or disease? Christ suffered more than we can imagine. His flesh being torn from his back by a vicious scourging followed by a tortuous walk carrying a heavy cross and upon arriving at the destination He was nail to that cross through hands and feet and left there to die. Once again, so lowly little us could be saved and have eternal life. “…we share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory”, Romans 8:17.
It’s not that this directly answers the question why there’s suffering, rather it gives me a slight understanding of suffering. I hope this understanding will console me during my next trial of suffering, but it sure takes care of the small stuff. Disappointments don’t seem as bad. Incidents in the news are looked upon as opportunities for prayers. Illnesses or loss, while still sorrowful, are more easily accepted as part of God’s plan.
Life, a glorious gift from God, is not a bed of roses. Or maybe it is, the suffering is merely the thorns on the roses. And compared to the crown of thorns that Jesus wore, my more trivial thorns are easier to bear on my path through life.
Now this little dissertation is just my opinion. I’m no biblical scholar teaching Gods word. I’m just Vince, a fellow sufferer who has discovered some peace in trying to understand.
Tenmile

The following link below, is a sermon I watched this past week, (the day after Tenmile posted the above post) by Pastor David Jeremiah. It is an excellent message about Job, and goes perfectly with the question discussed in today’s devotion.
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. (it’s only 28:29 too!)
God bless you all!

https://www.davidjeremiah.org/television/daytime?date=2024-03-04

This is the first in a series of six ( or more) on the book of Job. The others can be found using this link.

Mikeldean Loc: North Augusta SC

Its not that God allows stuff to happen. We live in a fallen world corrupted by mans original sin.
Sin is a topic nobody wants to talk about, because it forces us to accept our responsibility in living our lives.

Being a Christian is not a "Get out of jail free" card in this life.
It is a "Stay out of Hell" card in the next left, though

Thefinder Loc: Western Massachusetts

Where is God when bad things happening to good people?

NO man or woman is GOOD,only GOD is GOOD.

1Oldboat42 Loc: Kearney, Nebraska

Thanks Randy for another wonderful devotional.

Where is God when life happens? Right beside me, and most of the time carrying me through whatever this present trouble is. As long as I hold on to my faith in God this life will be the only hell I will ever face. Then comes eternal heaven!!

Randyhartford Loc: Lawrence, Kansas

Thank you, Joel!
Won’t it be wonderful there…🎼
(showing my age)