Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen?
We’ve all heard questions like that. And we’ve heard about how suffering can help to make us more like Christ, and how it can bring us closer to God. And there’s truth in those things. In a lot of instances of suffering, there’s no one else to turn to but God! But how would you answer that question? Why does God allow us to suffer?
If I had to answer that question in just a few short words, this is what I’d say; It’s not about this life. Let me say it again; It’s not about this life. It’s about the next life.
Do we feel compassion over all the suffering that goes on in this life? Of course we do. Should we do all we can to alleviate suffering? Of course we should. But even as we feel that compassion, and even as we do what we can, we also come to realize, that the scriptures do affirm, that it’s not about this life.
The bible says.. this life is but a vapor, “YOU are but a vapor, which appears for a little while, and then vanishes away.” James 4:14
We’re told in Psalm 103, verses 15 & 16; “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and it’s place acknowledges it no longer.”
Some of you are at the time in your life when you’re flourishing. You’re like the green grass, and the flower of the field. But then some of us have had a lot of wind pass over us, and we’re more like the withered grass. But wherever we are in our journey, and whatever our journey brings, it’s not about this life.
1 Chronicles 29:15 says; “For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers. Our days on the earth are as a shadow. There is none abiding.” We’re not going to abide here, and neither will anything physical and material, that we accomplish.
Listen to what Solomon said, in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, verse 14; “I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.” He said in chapter 3, verse 15; “That which is, has been already. And that which will be, has already been..” There’s nothing unique in this life, Nothing new, nothing of any lasting value. It’s not about this life.
And chapter 6, verse 7, simply says; “All man’s labor is for his mouth, and yet his soul is not filled.” You labor, and you labor, so that you can have things, but your soul isn’t filled, because it’s not about this life. Why is it so hard to understand that? All too often, our emphasis is put on the wrong life!
Neither our physical life, nor any of our accomplishments which have to do with this physical life, will abide. There are two things that will abide however. The first one is the soul who dies in Christ, and the second is their works of obedience to Christ, and to God. Revelation 14:13 says.. “..Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on! Yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Is it any wonder that the book of Ecclesiastes concludes with these words, from chapter 12, verse 13.. “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole of man.” So then, what this life IS about, is the preparation for the life to come.
But what about suffering that we experience? Does it matter? Of course it matters! It surely matters to the one suffering, and we’ll all suffer at one time or another, and in one way or another. And it surely matters to the family of the one suffering. And it matter to the friends of the one suffering, and probably most importantly, it maters to God!
For example, Isaiah declared, in Isaiah 49:13; “For the Lord has comforted His people, and WILL have compassion on His afflicted.” And in chapter 30, verse 18, Isaiah said; “Therefore the Lord LONGS to be gracious to you. And therefore He WAITS on high, to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. How blessed are all those who long for Him.”
And we’re told in Hebrews 4:15.. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points, tempted as we are.” Did our Lord feel any pain or suffering? You know He did. And the Lord is touched, and compassionate, towards everyone. But He is the most compassionate, towards His children.
Let me read a few verses from Psalm 139. I’ll just read verses 1 thru 5, but you should read all of it when you get home today. But here’s how it begins.. “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”
Let me ask you this question.. When we have suffered through some ordeal, and when it has ended, does it really matter that it ever happened? Well you might say.. of course it matters; Look how I’ve suffered! But consider this example that Jesus gives in John 16, verse 21.. “Whenever a w0man is in travail, she has sorrow, because her hour has come. But when she gives birth to the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for the joy that a child has been born into the world.” Now Jesus didn’t say that the pain didn’t matter, but what He did say, is that “she remembers it no more”.
Now, whether or not you can literally “remember that pain”,, that’s not the point. The point is, that in comparison to the joy felt over the child that’s just been born, the suffering doesn’t matter. It’s not about the suffering is it? It’s about something much greater. It’s about the life that has come.
But Jesus wasn’t really trying to teach us about this life. Jesus was making an analogy, using an example that people can identify with. The lesson isn’t about whether or not a woman can remember the pain of childbirth, or even about the joy over the child. The lesson is about something even greater. It’s about the life to come, and it’s about the insignificance of this life, compared to that life to come. And not only the insignificance of this life, but the insignificance of the suffering in this life, compared to the joy, of the life to come.
The apostle Paul stated it very plainly in Romans 8:18 with these words.. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared, with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Does our suffering mater? Of course it matters, but it can’t even be compared to the glory that awaits us!
In John 16, verse 22, right after Jesus said; “..she remembers the anguish no more”, He said this; “Therefore, you too, NOW have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you.” Jesus spoke those words to His apostles shortly before He was crucified, But of course we can apply it to ourselves also. You too, all of us, in this life, have sorrow. And we sometimes have pain, and we have anguish, and we have suffering. But verse 20 says; “But your sorrow will be turned to joy”. And verse 22 says; “..and no one takes your joy away.”
The sorrow won’t matter. It’s not about the sorrow, or the suffering, because none of that will even be remembered. It’s not about this life; It’s about something much greater than anything anyone can experience in this life. It’s about life eternal. It’s about eternal joy, and eternal happiness. Living eternally with God! That’s what it’s about.
Job said in Job , verse 10.. “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and not accept adversity?” It’s not about the good things, OR the bad things in this life. We have to accept it all don’t we? Will God make this life “worth while”? He absolutely will make it “worth while”!
If we remain faithful unto death, we’ll be blessed with the glory of God in heaven, and then these words will apply to us.. “she remembers the anguish no more”.. “your sorrow will be turned to joy”.. and as Revelation 21:4 says; “And He shall wipe every tear from their eyes..”
Pain and suffering are inseparable from our physical human existence, and it matters to each and every one of us, and God tells us that it should matter. We’re exhorted in Romans 12:15 to.. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Jesus wept with those who wept, didn’t He? (John 11:35)
We care, Jesus cares, and God cares. But I am convinced, that at least one of the reasons that God allows suffering to go on, and why He allows evil to exist in this world, is because it’s not about this life! This life is something we must overcome, so that we can receive what it’s really all about.
We know what it’s about; It’s about being willing to “hear” the word of Christ, which creates faith in us. (Romans 10:17)
“Hear” the word and learn to be compassionate, and forgiving, and loving, and one of the toughest things, is to learn that our suffering will be replaced with unequalled joy and peace.
But this life is also about being willing to confess our faith before others, just like Jesus taught in Mathew 10:32-33. “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.”
It’s about repenting of your sins, as we’re commanded to do in Acts 17, verse 30. “..God is now declaring that all men everywhere should repent!”
And it’s about being willing to be baptized, immersed in water, for the forgiveness of your sins. That’s exactly what God instructs us to do, in Acts 2, verse 38.. “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, (by His authority) unto the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift, of the Holy Spirit.” Baptism brings you “unto” the forgiveness of your sins.
And of course it’s about continuing “faithful unto death”, even to the point of death, so that we can receive the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)
God assures us in Romans 3:23.. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
You know, the apostle Paul, wrote to Timothy, in 1 Timothy 1:15.. “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” And so when Paul stood in a lost condition, because of being as he put it, the “foremost of sinners”, what stood between him and the forgiveness of his sins?
Well, to begin with, believing that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, was the first thing that stood in his way. But Paul overcame that obstacle on the road to Damascus when Jesus Christ Himself appeared to Paul in a light so bright that it blinded old Paul.
And what else stood in his way? Certainly confession and repentance stood in his way. But I believe that Paul’s obedience to the words of Jesus, proved both his repentance and confession of faith. Here’s what Jesus told Paul to do, in Acts 9, verse 6.. “Now get up, and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Verse 8 says.. “Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.”
And verse 9 tells us.. “And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.” Do you think that might be evidence of Paul’s faith and repentance? I think so.
So then was Paul saved from his sins? Had his sins been forgiven at that point? Evidently not, because Jesus had told him to “..go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Well, there was Paul, blind, for three days and three nights, but Jesus had not yet told him what he must do.
So then what did he have to do? Paul now believed, and he apparently had repented, and had proved his faith, through his obedience to Jesus. What still stood, between Paul and the forgiveness of his sins?
Well, I’m going to read to you, exactly what Jesus Christ, told Paul to do. this what Jesus said that Paul “must do”.
Jesus used a faithful Christian named Ananias, to go to Paul, and to tell him what he must do. And we’re going to go to Acts 22, verse 16 to hear what Jesus instructed Ananias to say.. And here’s what he said to Paul.. “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”
“Be baptized, and wash away your sins” Do you remember what Peter had told the people on the day of Pentecost? Remember, I read it from Acts 2:38.. “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins.”
When God forgives our sins, He washes them away, and they’re remembered no more. It’s kind of like our suffering, it’s remembered no more.
One more question.. What if anything, stands between you, and the forgiveness of your sins? That’s what we all need to ask ourselves. That stands between us and the gift of eternal life?
If we may help you in any way, please let us know, even now, as we stand and sing our invitational song.
