Blog #10: Bad Things - Good People

This life is the first step of a marathon with no finish line.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

This is the most popular question posed to a Christian when the God debate arises. Yes, there are those that ask it in more eloquent, thought provoking, or angry ways but it always comes down to the same thing. Why do we suffer? The truth is, we suffer because we are not God, but let's break it down.

We are not perfect. We make mistakes and therefore suffer for the bad decisions we make in our freedom. So, the question then becomes, 'why are we free?'. We're free because we were created in the image of God, not to be robots who are programed to do exactly what God wants but to come to him of our own free will. To serve him, not by force but by wisdom, humility and the understanding that despite the intelligence we possess, we really know nothing when compared to God and therefore rely on Him for understanding in the face of evil.

Another misunderstanding is the idea that we suffer for our whole lives. We humans tend to focus on time as though it has some power over us (myself included, which I've written about in another post). The truth of belief is that there really is no time. We are eternal beings and therefore our time on earth is an almost non existent fraction in our eternity. If I suffer my entire life, which I have in much of it, I have merely suffered for a split second in the face of eternity. Life is a marathon with no finish line and we all win!

This is where Christians find joy and if it isn't, it should be! We are merely on our way somewhere and it is beauty beyond our understanding.

Of course, none of this helps anyone who is in the depths of suffering and can't see out to grasp such a huge concept, so what about those?

The answer is service.

Your suffering is a means of service to others. When you suffer something absolutely unbearable, you develop a first hand understanding of what others are experiencing. If you can take that suffering and lighten the impact of it for someone else, not only are you using that evil for good, you may also save a life. That is the absolute most valuable thing you can do and without your suffering, you wouldn't have had the wisdom and empathy to know what would help a person in such a downtrodden state. That is pure meaning!

Some of you may be asking, 'what about a dying child or a life taken prematurely by accident or violence?'. Well, if life really is eternal, and I believe with every ounce of my being that it is, you will see them again, and in the grand scheme of things, it will be incredibly soon! However, if you don't believe in an afterlife at all, and believe the rest of us to be wrong, focus your energy on helping others around you who are going through horrible suffering like you. If others aren't worth it.....does any of it really matter anyway? Be warned though, asking that question often leads to God and a belief in eternity.

I am but an idle hand in between all of my angel intentions and a devil's dream

Every time I sing these notes I lose a little hope but nobody ever seems to know

I am but a simple man, a thief, a blood thirsty heathen

But we are sons of blinding light and we've already won this war we're fighting

Angry World by Messes & Miracles