The Question I receive all the time from people is,
"Why does bad things happen to Good People?"
We always ask the question in the "Why" format. As if we have nothing to play in this situation. We leave it up to the higher power to determine our destiny and also a person to blame when things go wrong. One of my favorite movies of all time is Waynes World, two hair metal hippies are driving around in their 1978 Pinto with flames down the side, singing Bohemian Rhapsody head banging and looking for things to do (felt like my life in Jr. High). The seen that stood out to me was when Wayne's "World" was spiraling out of control. He just got in a fight with his best friend Garth, just lost his TV gig through the Video arcade chain and found himself alone without his woman. He cried out to God in a final desperation "Why God, Why?" as it flowed through the dreams of Casandra ending up with the sleezy producer in Hawaii, laying on the beach together as Wayne watched from behind a tree. Although this is one of the funniest movie clips, it shows us that everyone in the world, no matter what we have done in the process asks the question Why?
About 5 years ago, I was traveling on a plane to speak at a youth retreat and as I was munching down on stale cardboard peanuts and drinking a fizzed out coke, I was asked by the lady next to me where I was going? I sometimes struggle with sharing about the fact that I am a Pastor, partially because the responses I get wherever I go. They range with complete hatred, to a wonderful smile and may, "God bless you" to follow. I told the lady anyway that I was a Pastor on my way to speak at a youth retreat. She said, "Oh, so you are one of those people huh?" I followed with a sigh and said, "What do you mean by that?" She went on to describe in great detail that she was raised in a church background and when her and her husband starting having kids her daughter became sick and later found out that she had a rare strain of Cancer. As tears began to wall up in her eyes she continued to say that she had her Pastor come up to the hospital bed and pray that the Lord will heal her. Then the Pastor went on to say that God "Told" him that she would be healed by the end of the week. As the week came to a close she saw her daughters eyes begin to close as she said her final goodbyes. After her daughter passed away she became very angry at the church and at God. She told me she asked God "Why?" a hundred thousand times and after she heard nothing, she finally gave up hope in the Lord and said that God was not real. She said to me, can you tell me why? Can you give me the answers to the questions that we have had for several years? As all the memories of growing up in a super spiritual church where people began to try to heal others through their own ways instead of God, I started twitching, because yet again I found myself talking with someone who is hurt by another collegue in my profession. I sat there trying to think up all the scriptures that I could use to help change her mind , all I felt the Lord tell me to do is ask her more about her daughter. So I began to ask what was it about her daughter that she loved? A plane ride that was to last 3 hours felt like five minutes, she talked and talked and talked and talked. I was not bored once. I listened to her share the joy she had with her daughter and how much she missed her laughter and smile. I told her at the end, that I would love to answer her questions, but I felt that now wasn't the time. I asked her for her email address and then wrote her a few days later. I wanted to make sure that I prayed through my answers, I didn't want to sound harsh, nor did I want to take away the smile she had as she shared about her daughters life story. I began to study more about this topic, because things JUST HAPPEN and I wanted to not belittle her daughters death in any way. These are the words I shared;
Why do bad things happen to good people? That is one of the difficult questions in all of theology. God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, etc. Why should we human beings (not eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent) expect to be able to fully understand God's ways? The book of Job deals with this issue. Although all pastors and Christians have over played this gut wrenching story, we can learn a lot about it. God had allowed Satan to do whatever he wanted to Job except kill him. What was Jobs reaction? "Though he slay ME yet will I hope in Him" (Job 13:15) "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:21) Job didn't understand WHY God had allowed the things He did, but he knew that God was good and therefore continued to trust in Him. Ultimately, that should be our reaction as well. God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. However, instead of doubting God's goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path Straight" (Prov. 3:5-6) I have no idea why a Pastor would say that he heard from God that God would heal your daughter, especially when you put your trust in this man. I have said many things in the name of the Lord and had them not come to flourish. These are mistakes from human lips. We are human, we all make mistakes and even though this Pastor made a huge one, you cannot trust in him along. You need to trust in GOD. Now, I know this is easier said than done. But, God has the ultimate plan. Now, in this next part, in no way do I mean to belittle your daughters death, but I must share about ALL of us, whether we go to church or not, whether we pray or whether we don't.
Perhaps a better question to ask is, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" God is Holy (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8). Human beings are sinful (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Do you want to know how God views humanity? "As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:10-18.) Every human being on this planet deserves to be thrown into hell at this very moment. Every second we spend alive is only by the grace of God. Even the most terrible misery we could experience on this planet is merciful compared to what we deserve, eternal hell.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Roman 5:8). Despite the evil, wicked, sinful nature of the people of this world, God still loved us. He loved us enough to die to take the penalty for our sins. (Romans 6:23). All we have to do is believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 10:9) in order to be forgiven and receive a home in heaven (Rom. 8:1) What we deserve-hell. What we are given-eternal life in heaven if we just believe and follow after his purposes. It has been said, this world is the only hell believers will ever experience, and this world is the only heaven unbelievers will ever experience. The next time we ask the question, "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good People?" maybe instead we should be asking, "Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people?"
We have ALL fallen short. I even sit here writing this letter, not deserving what I have been given by God, and his son Jesus that died for me. How many times have I rejected God? How many times have I been rude to someone? How many times have I had deceit in my heart? I even sat there on the plane with you, with sin in my heart. I am not one that deserves that life I have. I do not deserve my marriage, I do not deserve my job, I do not deserve to even share the word of God with others. It is through Jesus death and by his grace that I am here. Your daughter was a great joy to you in the midst of her life with us. You did not deserve her laughter, her joy and her smile, but the Lord granted you a life with her that was incredible. Jesus wanted you to see through your daughters life a life worth living for. Do not throw it all away because she has now left you. Not to mention she is in a place with no pain. A place where no bills have to be paid, where mortgages are past due, where people cut her off while she is driving. She has shown you the joy in life. I truly believe when we met on the plane that this is the word you needed to hear to get back on track. God is not through with you, nor has he forsaken you. He desires a long lasting relationship of not Why? but how? How can I live to serve you? How can I worship you? How can I sacrifice my life for you? When you allow your heart to go in that direction, you will be miles along.
May God grant you the peace you need to survive and the life you need to flourish. God is your savior and Redeemer. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.
Sincerely,
The dude you met on the plane.
That letter is a hard letter to write. You never know how the person will respond. I sat back and wept for her loss as I could only think about losing what was dear to me, my wife. What emotions would I feel if the Lord felt it fit that she be with him instead of with me. I am sure I would have felt as angry with the church and with God as she was. I guess I will never know until I am in her shoes, but I hope that I will be able to feel all the emotions of death, in order to rejoice in what God has done for me. He has taken a no good red headed, angry, attitude, liar, deceiver, and tattooed man and has granted me life through his death.
Thank you God for loving me and others when we least deserve it...........You are our SAVIOR!
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