Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen To Good People?
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Seeking A Diagnosis
When I first started getting sick in 2018, every test the doctors did came back perfect. I could hardly walk, my arms twitched, my blood pressure was through the roof, but all tests said I was in peak health. As I continued seeking a diagnosis, I began receiving calls, emails, and visits from people who thought they had the answer.
I know everything presented was out of love, but it became overwhelming. I do it too. We want to help, so we offer thoughts on diagnoses based on similar symptoms we have experienced. In our efforts to support, we don’t realize the stress we add.
Friends told me of all the doctors I should visit, their theories on what I had, supplements I needed to take, and diets I should adhere to. Then, when a diagnosis still did not come, I had others that wanted to pray for me because they thought maybe I had picked up a demon from a place I visited in the middle east. The friend came over and shared her story of something similar happening to her. Don’t get me wrong, I believe this can happen. I just did not feel this was what was happening at the moment.
Again, I felt gratitude for the love they were all showing. I knew they had my best interest at heart, but it was overwhelming. At times, I felt weak, confused, and at a complete loss of what to do next.
I had to pray to God to clear all the voices and guide me to what He wanted. He did. He sent me to a wonderful doctor (his name was one suggestion given by a friend), and I received my diagnosis in months instead of years. Due to the lack of good testing, many Lyme Disease patients wait years for a correct diagnosis.
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The Book Of Job
As I have read through Job, I have thought about this with his three friends. They came intending to help him but caused him great distress. Dr. Bill Creasy teaches on Job beautifully. He says that Job is seeking answers to why this has happened to him. We do the same. We want to know why. Job was a good man. Why did these bad things continue to happen? The three friends share their thoughts, but are not accurate with God.
Friend 1, Eliphaz, The Voice Of Experience
“Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.”
Job 4:7-8 NLT
Eliphaz claims Job cannot be innocent. He tells Job that experience says you reap what you sow. You must have done something wrong because God does not punish the upright.
Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen To Good People?
Does God punish the upright? In the books of the Bible leading up to Job, if the people did what God said, God blessed them. If they fell away from God, trouble came. But Job shows us something completely opposite. The book of Job begins by saying, “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” Job 1:1 NLT
This does not sound like the descriptions used in the Bible when someone was not following God. Here we get our first picture of “bad things happening to good people.” We don’t like this. It’s not fair, and it’s hard for us to wrap our minds around.
Friend 2, Bildad, The Voice Of Tradition
“Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved.”
Job 8:3-4 NLT
Bildad agrees, God does not punish the innocent. He concluded Job’s children must have sinned, and that brought their demise. Can you imagine what this must have done to Job’s heart? What would you think if all this was happening to you and someone says your sins and your children’s sin caused your their deaths? It would probably not help you.
Tradition can often dig us deeper into despair. Traditions can be good, but when we allow them to dictate our actions versus following God, it can lead us in the wrong direction. We need to come to God and ask for His wisdom and not the ways of man.
Friend 3, Zophar, The Voice of Religion
“If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear.”
Job 11:13-15 NLT
Zophar suggests if Job were more holy, this would not have happened. Churches that are more focused on religion than Jesus would have this focus too. When life is not rainbows and unicorns, you must have done something wrong.
Seeking God
What all three friends missed was seeking God for what was going on with Job. They came to help, but with their own ideas of why everything had transpired. No where does it convey they inquired of God. Job keeps doing that. He listens to their accusations and turns to God again and again, demanding why. Why is this happening?
I used to feel like I was dishonoring God by asking why. But the seeking only brought me closer. The verses never say that Job’s friends sought God before giving their opinions. If they had, maybe they would not have given their condemning advice.
I used to feel like I was dishonoring God by asking why. But the seeking only brought me closer. Click To TweetWe read in the first two chapters that all of this happens because of a conversation between God and Satan. God knew Job could handle the trials and allowed Satan to destroy him. Again, this does not align with our cultural views, where we should hurt no one’s feelings. But I interpret this as God allowed bad things to prove that Job could prevail. He could go through the trial and still stay strong in His faith and God restored everything and blessed him even more.
Amid my why’s to God, one day I heard Him say, “Because I knew you could handle it.” I had to ask Him a few more questions, but in the end, I knew God would use the illness for His glory. I like nothing that goes along with Lyme Disease or its co-infections, but if God intends to use it to bring others to Him, I am honored to know He thought I could handle it.
Has God ever used a trial you have gone through to bring HIm glory? If you are willing, please share your experience in the comments below.
Jen, you’ve tackled a big subject here and offered a lot to think about. Thank you!
I understand from experience with our daughter’s illness much of what you’ve written about. The phrase that spoke most to my heart was, “I used to feel like I was dishonoring God by asking why. But the seeking only brought me closer.” By God’s grace this was also our experience. Thank you.
I have unfortunately been the friend who condemned a friend who was going through a rough time. Fortunately, God convicted me of that, and now I seek to show grace. Bad things do happen to good people, but I can see how God works it for His glory.
I’ve often asked God “Why”? Especially during my husband’s illness. Your answer brings some comfort, but I still struggle with the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” I suppose my struggle means I need to delve deeper into God’s Word and seek a closer relationship with Him. Thanks for a thought-provoking message.