Bad Things Happen

In the late 1970s, the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Rabbi Harold Kushner made The New York Times Best Sellers list. Apparently, he scratched an itch for a lot of people. The book attempted to answer the question: “If God is loving and all-powerful, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people?” For example, why doesn't God stop a drunk driver from killing an innocent child who just happened to be riding their bicycle on the same street? Why does He allow some to suffer abuse at the hands of another human being? Why doesn't He stop evil from occurring?

Kushner’s answer is that there are some things God cannot do. He speculated that there are acts of evil that God is powerless to stop, such as preventing innocent people from suffering as a result of others' poor decisions. Take, for example, the story of Joseph in Genesis, chapters 37–50. The Bible tells us that Joseph's brothers were so envious and jealous of him that they decided to get rid of him. As a result of their cruelty, he spent 13 years enslaved and imprisoned for something he didn’t do. He must have been angry and confused that God would allow this to happen to him. It took 22 years for him to realize that God used his pain and suffering to fulfill His covenant promise to Abraham (15:9–13).

Joseph’s suffering was not meaningless. Instead, God used it for good—to save all of Israel. One Bible teacher wrote:

“In the end, that is the bottom line of Joseph's story, as 45:5–8 clearly articulates. God's sovereignty and blessing can be found in what appears to be the most heinous crimes and the most disastrous circumstances. This does not mean that God approves of the crimes or that He enjoys bringing disaster into our lives. It is simply a testimony to His ability to bring good out of evil.” (Walton, p. 696)

Here is something to think about: The Scriptures say that in this world, we are going to have trouble and suffering (John 16:33). All of us are subjected to evil, regardless of whether or not we are followers of Christ. So, how should we react to evil when it affects our lives? First, recognize that God is all-powerful and could stop the suffering if He chooses to. Second, recognize that your suffering has meaning. The Lord uses our suffering as a testimony to His grace and mercy. There are those outside the faith who are watching how you react to the suffering you experience. It’s easy to say that you trust God when things are going well. However, the real question is: How do you react when your life is confronted by evil?

James 1:2–3 says:

“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 states:

“Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Joyfulness, endurance, and thankfulness are the attitudes the Lord expects us to cultivate when we encounter suffering and evil. What a testimony to the outside world! If you remain joyful, endure, and are thankful for the trials you encounter, those outside the Christian faith will look at your life and say, “I don’t know what you’ve got, but I want that in my life.”
The existence of evil is a reality we must deal with in our lives. Are you going to hold up, or are you going to fold up? Let each of us examine ourselves.

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