Why do bad things happen if God is good?

Have you ever asked God this question? What do you think the answer is?

ANSWER: Bad things happen, even though God is good, because he gave His creation free will and we all chose to do it our own way and sin at some point. When we don't repent and become made new through Jesus, our thoughts and actions are evil. ( Matthew 7:17-18) "Even so every good tree produces good fruit; But the corrupt tree produces evil fruit"

• We are all born with a sinful nature and we produce evil fruit UNTIL we are made new through Jesus.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GOD

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT GOD PEOPLE HAVE COME TO YOU WITH THAT AREN'T BIBLICAL? (FOR EXAMPLE: Why does God let people kill one another?)

• He is not our personal genie to grant all of our wishes

• He doesn't control us like puppets

• He doesn't delight in evil ( WRONG-> Genesis 6:5-6 ---> "Every intention of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually...it grieved [God] to his heart" )

HOW DO WE KNOW GOD IS GOOD and THAT HE DOESN'T CAUSE BAD THINGS ?

The way we view God determines our response to this question; so, we have to go to the Bible where God's character is described for us.

• God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33 )

• God is "Yahweh, Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining love to the thousands, and forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished. He will bring the father's iniquity on the children and their children the third and fourth generation" (Exodus 34:6-7).

  • This passage in Exodus was the first time God himself, Yahweh, declares who he is and what he is like to Moses and in turn all His people.

• Now that we know God's nature, Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus, the Son of God, is the "exact impression of his nature". In other words, Jesus is God in the flesh. They are one.

• Additionally, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever"( Hebrews 13:8)

• Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man that he should lie, or a son of man that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken and will he not fulfill it?"

FREE WILL

• God created free will but he did not create evil. Evil is the result of God's children stepping out of harmony with His perfect design. (Joshua 24:15) --> " But if it doesn't please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship...?" God spoke this to the Israelites through Joshua

• Genesis 2:16-17 --> "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, But you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or you will surely die"

WHY DO YOU THINK GOD GAVE US FREE WILL?

• With no free will, we would be slaves to a master.

• Free will opens the door for a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus.

• It's like the difference between and arranged marriage and a normal one where the two choose to come together.

So, as Christians, what does this mean for us? What does the Word say about bad things happening?

• Read Psalm 23

• comforted (Psalm 23) --> Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me. your rod and your staff they comfort me.

• we have what we NEED, not what we want( Psalm 23)

• "you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Psalm 23v5)

• "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world"(John 16:33)

• There is a promised day where there will be a new heaven and a new earth with no more weeping or sorrow!!

What does the Word say for non-believers?

• Apart from God there are no good things, no hope, no salvation.

• The flesh is fully evil and a slave to sin until saved by the Father.

• "But where sin multiplied grace multiplied even more... What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! (Romans 5;20, 6:1-2)

  • We cannot continue sinning and expect good fruits to be produced in us

  • Sin produces death, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, fear

  • Sin/rebellion against God leads people to do bad things

Meditate on this throughout the night:

When bad things happen to you or around you, remember God's heart for you. He loves you (1 John 4:9-11) and has plans to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29;11). He is for you, who can stand against you? He weeps with you. When you feel broken, His heart is broken over that because God desires for us to have never sinned and never been separated from Him. Allow your suffering to draw you closer to Him and deeper into Love.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog! You are so loved by God + i'm rooting for you!! Please email me if you have any questions :) xoxo, Sami Skipworth