Reasons Bad Things Happen to Those You Love
As if she didn’t have enough bad things happen. Years of wealth and luxury, but now she had only the dress on her back. A reputation and status of being one of the country’s leading ladies, however now she roamed arb age dumps for a meal. Her large, healthy family had been the pride of her life, but now childless.
And her healthy, vibrant, dynamic husband turned into a pitiful, broken down, sore infested old man. More than enough for any gal to handle. On top of that, her husband was a religious fanatic who sat around wondering what God tried to tell him through all this. He popped up with quotes like this.
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
What do you do when bad things happen to your mate? Here’s what Mrs. Job said: “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9) What should you do when bad things happen to those you love?
SEVEN REASONS BAD THINGS HAPPEN
- Sometimes they come by divine appointment.
Job faced the outcome of spiritual warfare. That conflict continues in our day. The casualties of that battle can spill over into our daily lives. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12)
At times, the divinely appointed circumstances that bring bad times teach us spiritual lessons. Like when God appointed a worm for Jonah (Jonah 4). Or Paul eventually learning that his personal thorn in the flesh had been sent by a messenger of Satan and meant to keep him humble (2 Corinthians 12:7).
There’s a sense in which every bad event is ruled over by God, since He reigns sovereign over all things. But when we seek, we can discover several more immediate causes.
NATURAL CATASTROPHES
- Sometimes bad things happen through natural catastrophes.
The earth quakes, volcanoes erupt, waves pound, fires jump creeks, bridges collapse, plagues surge across a nation. We do not live in a perfectly safe world. However, it used to be perfect. “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Rebellion against God caused the world’s present upheaval. But our planet will not stay in this condition forever. The creation will one day be set free from catastrophe. (Romans 8:19-22). When that day comes, nature will vastly change.
“The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up; instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up; and it will be a memorial to the Lord, for an everlasting sign which will not be cut off” (Isaiah 55:12, 13).
But that hasn’t come yet! So, we look for explanations. The religious folks in Jesus’ day held a simple set of solutions. If bad things happened, the victim had sinned. Even natural disasters proved certain individuals needed punishment. Jesus wouldn’t let them hang on to this view of God.
“Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4,5).
Jesus said clearly that all have sinned. If God used natural disasters to eradicate sin, who would be left? He did that once and only eight survived the flood on Noah’s ark. The tower in Siloam fell as one of the many tragedies possible in a sin-tainted world.
THE WORLD’S SYSTEM
- Sometimes bad things happen because of worldly tribulation.
The tenor of society, the flow of civilization, the dominating ideas of the world’s system oppose God’s plan for His people. The collision of the wills of truth and lies produce tragic consequences.
Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
For instance, John the Baptist did God’s will and landed in jail, then lost his head.
Make a stand for good. March to support a biblical position. Protest for what you believe is right. You’ll always find fervent, sometimes vicious opponents. This world produces much tribulation.
FOOLISHNESS, GREED, AND BLOWING IT
- Sometimes bad things happen because of foolish actions.
An example: King Hezekiah caused the suffering devastation of Babylonian plunder for a future generation by his lack of discretion and wisdom (2 Kings 20).
- Sometimes bad things come because people give Satan an entry.
Judas had a problem with greed, which led to betraying Jesus. Greed so controlled Judas that he actually gave Satan direct control of his life. “And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve” (Luke 22).
The lust for more begins with small temptations, such as a few dollars or coins missing. A wink, a casual touch, or a pornographic film can start the fall rolling. But it won’t stop there. Private desire unchecked can lead to addiction or surrender of the will to Satan.
- Sometimes bad things result from personal sin.
The man near the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem had a crippling disease for thirty-eight years. Jesus healed him, then presented a challenge: “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you” (John 5:14). Sin has consequences. Paul warned: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
Someone who abuses alcohol ruins his liver. A sex worker suffers from a venereal disease. Habitual gamblers face bankruptcy. Some bad times endured come from the admission, “I have sinned.”
BEING A WITNESS
- Bad things sometimes happen when talking about Jesus.
Peter and John received a stern warning. Then they flogged them when they disobeyed. “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28,40).
Making a public stand for Jesus did not make life easier for His early disciples. It still doesn’t. But they determined to keep preaching when the bad times rolled.
Bad times happen. That’s the kind of world we live in. Meanwhile, you can’t always tell which of the seven you’re experiencing. And seldom, if ever, can you tell which of the seven others experience. However, how you respond might be more important than why did it happen.
Stephen Bly
Circa 1990
Bad Things Happen Woman Image by Moondance from Pixabay
Earthquake Crack Image by Htc Erl from Pixabay
Conflict & Disagreement Image by John Hain from Pixabay
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