When Bad Things Happen

Since the beginning of time, bad things have happened. There is evil in the world and when senseless acts of violence happen, it is sometimes difficult to see God. This was a pretty bad week in the world. Four people beat a stranger and broadcast it online…live. A madman opened fire in an airport. My friend’s son hit a tree with his face when he was skiing (he’s ok, thank God!). Freak snowstorms wreaked havoc on the highways and byways of America. Politics…don’t get me started. It’s been a hard week. Where was God?

The first thing to remember is…God does not bring evil to us. God loves us and it pains Him to see evil things happen to His children. God is love. Those of us who are widows or have lost other important family members may very well have heard this age old platitude…”We don’t always understand why God does the things He does, but everything happens for a reason.” What a terrible thing to say to someone when they are hurting! That their pain is somehow God’s plan…God’s fault. He never hurts us…he only loves us. But, when these bad things are happening, why is it so hard to feel Him?

Here’s the thing…if bad things didn’t happen in the world, if there was no pain, if our lives were effortless and trouble free, we wouldn’t NEED God. We would never seek Him and ask for His comfort. God wants us to turn to Him in times of trouble, but He doesn’t cause the trouble. Mr. Rogers used to tell the children in his television audience a story about his mother. When he was a little boy and saw disturbing things happen, his mother told him to look for the helpers. There will always be helpers who come to the aid of the victims. As I watched the events in Ft. Lauderdale unfold yesterday, it would be easy to say, “How can a loving God let this happen to innocent people? People whose only “crime” was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” As the day wore on, I saw the videos running behind the reporters and there they were…the helpers. The fellow passengers who opened suitcases to grab articles of clothing to bind wounds. The strangers who held hands and prayed. The people circling a man who was so distraught from the scene that he was bent over a trashcan throwing up. There were hands on shoulders. Arms wrapped around strangers. Police and firemen and rescue workers flocking to aid and protect. God was everywhere.

When evil acts are occurring, you cannot see God’s Hands. It is only when you look back and reflect that you see the remarkable, unmistakable acts of a loving, hurting God. Take the events of 9/11 as an example. People came together and loved one another like many of us had never seen in our lifetimes. Foundations and alliances were formed. Funds were collected. The nations of the world came together in love. Evil acts occur. There is darkness in the world. But there is also light. Pray for the victims and their families. Pray for our service workers and leaders. Pray for the families of the perpetrators…what horrors they must be going through as well. But always…always look for the helpers. Look for the light. ❤️

““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””
‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NIV‬‬