Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Part 4 of the "Questions" message series
Now on that very occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus responded and said to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans just because they have suffered this fate? 3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse offenders than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” – Luke 13:1-5 (NASB)
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. – Romans 8:3-6 (NASB)
The BIG Idea:
If God is our perfect Heavenly Father who is all-loving, all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, why does God permit bad things to happen? Why doesn’t God remove those bad things and moments when we ask God to do so in prayer? Our faith grows and softens when we remain steadfast to God’s will during times of trial and suffering. We can also choose to permit our faith to harden and stunt growth during challenging seasons. We must draw near to God and surround ourselves with encouraging people to persevere until we see God bring something good out of the challenging moments in our lives.
The Question – “Why do bad things happen?”
“We read stories about the horrible evils like the Holocaust, the killing fields of Cambodia, the genocide of Rwanda, and the starvation in Ethiopia, and we can’t help but wonder, ‘Where is God?’ We watch television coverage of earthquakes and hurricanes taking the lives of countless people and we wonder, ‘Why didn’t God stop it?’ We read the statistic that one billion people in the world lack the basic necessities of life and we wonder, ‘Why doesn’t God care?’ We may suffer ourselves with persistent pain or aching loss or seemingly hopeless circumstances and we wonder, ‘Why doesn’t God help?’ If God is loving, all-powerful, and if He is good, all of this suffering should not exist and yet it does.” – Les Strobel (The Case for Christ)
Some question the existence of God.
ILLUSTRATION: Second-Hand Smoke; A visit to the Pediatrician
“God sometimes permits what God hates to accomplish what God loves.” – Joni Erickson Tada
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 (NASB)
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. – Romans 8:18 (NASB)
*God’s rhetorical conversation with Job in Job chapters 38 thru 41. (77 Questions)
ILLUSTRATION: The egg and the potato in a pot of boiling water
“The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.” – Charles Spurgeon
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28 (NASB)
If God has a special blessing God wants to give us, and the only way for us to receive that blessing is to suffer through trials and hard times, then perhaps rather than asking, “Why me?” we should be asking, “What good is God going to bring by allowing this to happen?”
What does God want to do in and through me with this difficult season?
Our faith grows during difficult seasons by:
Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is their own disaster. – Proverbs 13:15 (NASB)
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. – Galatians 6:7 (NASB)
so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. – Matthew 5:45 (NASB)
Questions for Reflection
Have you ever experienced a series of bad things happening in your life at the same time? How well do you think you handled the bad events? Would you do anything different?
Why do you think terrible things happen to people through no fault of their own?
Who are some Biblical heroes you admire because of the adversity and faith victories they experienced in God’s Word?
Who are some heroes you personally know who have experienced the same kind of victories through challenging circumstances?
How does our perspective on trials and suffering change when we switch from asking the question, “Why me?” to asking, “What does God want to do in and through me because of this challenging trial?”
In what ways is our faith in Christ Jesus strengthened by going through difficult circumstances?
What steps can we take to persevere when our faith is tested?
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. – Romans 8:3-6 (NASB)
The BIG Idea:
If God is our perfect Heavenly Father who is all-loving, all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, why does God permit bad things to happen? Why doesn’t God remove those bad things and moments when we ask God to do so in prayer? Our faith grows and softens when we remain steadfast to God’s will during times of trial and suffering. We can also choose to permit our faith to harden and stunt growth during challenging seasons. We must draw near to God and surround ourselves with encouraging people to persevere until we see God bring something good out of the challenging moments in our lives.
The Question – “Why do bad things happen?”
“We read stories about the horrible evils like the Holocaust, the killing fields of Cambodia, the genocide of Rwanda, and the starvation in Ethiopia, and we can’t help but wonder, ‘Where is God?’ We watch television coverage of earthquakes and hurricanes taking the lives of countless people and we wonder, ‘Why didn’t God stop it?’ We read the statistic that one billion people in the world lack the basic necessities of life and we wonder, ‘Why doesn’t God care?’ We may suffer ourselves with persistent pain or aching loss or seemingly hopeless circumstances and we wonder, ‘Why doesn’t God help?’ If God is loving, all-powerful, and if He is good, all of this suffering should not exist and yet it does.” – Les Strobel (The Case for Christ)
Some question the existence of God.
ILLUSTRATION: Second-Hand Smoke; A visit to the Pediatrician
“God sometimes permits what God hates to accomplish what God loves.” – Joni Erickson Tada
- Tragedy is the natural consequence of a world polluted by sin.
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 (NASB)
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. – Romans 8:18 (NASB)
*God’s rhetorical conversation with Job in Job chapters 38 thru 41. (77 Questions)
ILLUSTRATION: The egg and the potato in a pot of boiling water
“The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.” – Charles Spurgeon
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28 (NASB)
If God has a special blessing God wants to give us, and the only way for us to receive that blessing is to suffer through trials and hard times, then perhaps rather than asking, “Why me?” we should be asking, “What good is God going to bring by allowing this to happen?”
What does God want to do in and through me with this difficult season?
Our faith grows during difficult seasons by:
- Deepening our time in prayer
- Drawing us to go deeper in God’s Word
- Appreciating the sacrifice of Jesus for us even more
- Serving and encouraging others who are going through similar trials
- Readjusting our focus from the temporary things on earth to the eternal things awaiting in Heaven.
- Refining and strengthening our commitment to Jesus through perseverance.
- Surrounding ourselves with Christ-centered servant leaders
- Tragedy does not mean that someone is a worse sinner.
Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is their own disaster. – Proverbs 13:15 (NASB)
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. – Galatians 6:7 (NASB)
so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. – Matthew 5:45 (NASB)
- Tragedy is not all related to God’s judgement. However, in the end, God’s judgement is the ultimate tragedy.
Questions for Reflection
Have you ever experienced a series of bad things happening in your life at the same time? How well do you think you handled the bad events? Would you do anything different?
Why do you think terrible things happen to people through no fault of their own?
Who are some Biblical heroes you admire because of the adversity and faith victories they experienced in God’s Word?
Who are some heroes you personally know who have experienced the same kind of victories through challenging circumstances?
How does our perspective on trials and suffering change when we switch from asking the question, “Why me?” to asking, “What does God want to do in and through me because of this challenging trial?”
In what ways is our faith in Christ Jesus strengthened by going through difficult circumstances?
What steps can we take to persevere when our faith is tested?