Why Did This Happen?
Why did this happen? These words are often uttered after a bad event occurs. Unfortunately, some people jump to criticizing God for allowing such bad things to happen. Some may ask, how could a loving God allow me to go through this? Others may ask, how come bad things happen to good people? These are important questions that may cross into the mind of a Christian at times. Bad events happening during life are not particular to one person, but to all people. Christ said, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). God does not pick and choose what happens to some people and not to others. However, all things work together for good to them that love God (Romans 8:28). Do we have faith in God enough to get us through these things?
Job was a man that “was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). He was a prosperous man, and had ten children. As you begin to read through the book of Job, you may begin to notice that he was gradually losing practically all that he had from Satan trying to destroy his faith in God. On several occasions, Job was ridiculed by his so-called friends, who were telling him to leave God, since God was allowing these things to happen. Job had faith in God for his deliverance. However, Job reached low points several times because of bad things happening. He wanted to have never been born (Job 3:11). He wanted to embrace the cold hands of death (Job 3: 20-26). The man of God was always keeping his faith in God for salvation from these things. How many times will we turn to God in times of trouble? God rewards faithfulness. He rewarded Job’s faithfulness with giving him several thousands of sheep, camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys, as well as giving him seven sons and three daughters again (Job 42:12-15). Today, God rewards our faithfulness by giving us an eternal inheritance which is reserved in heaven (I Peter 1:4-5).
A New Testament example of someone suffering, yet never losing faith, would be Paul, the apostle. As Paul was fighting against false teachers who were trying to persuade the Corinthian brethren to put away Paul, and no longer listen to him, therefore, Paul began to tell of his various sufferings. He was beaten by the Jews five times; shipwrecked three times; often in dangerous areas; in hungering for food, and thirsting for water; in cold and having no clothes; as well as having to be let down on the other side of a wall in the city of the Damascenes (II Corinthians 11:24-33). Even though he endured these things, he still had a strong faith. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong” (II Corinthians 12:10). Have you ever wondered how all these things happened to Paul, yet he kept his faith? What about us? After bad things happen to us, can someone still ask about us, how did we keep our faith? We need to always put our trust in God. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Stephen