Why do Bad things happen to Good people?

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Over the last two weeks, I have been pulled in many directions but, through the whole process, I have had the opportunity to enjoy small pleasures that service for the Lord can bring. As fall, vernal equinox begins to approach, we watch flocks of geese fly over our farm at dawn and at dusk; we have a few hummingbirds fighting over the feeder on the deck. The hair on our horses and dogs are thickening up as the days get shorter and the temperatures are cooling down.

 With the changes that occur with the seasons also comes a personal time for reflection and internal change.  I have grown up hearing the saying that the only two things in life that you can have a guarantee of  is death and taxes. Everything else is going to change.  With this guarantee of change is also the guarantee that life is not easy. Now, the word “easy” is subjective and surely, relative in nature.

 When I say the word easy, to an adult, that task may be considered difficult to a child, depending on their size strength and age.  I feel that the words “good” and “bad” are also subjective in nature and can be interpretative. I have used the phrase, out of desperation, “Will you sit down and behave”. Or, “Please try to be GOOD today”. When giving my girls directions as to my expectations in their actions and daily choices.

 One afternoon, as we were driving down the road to our destination, I asked the girls to please sit down and “behave”.  To my surprise, a small voice can from the back of the car asking, “Mama, what do you mean when you say behave?” Once again, I was stopped in my tracks, and I realized that my expectations for their behavior needed to be explained and broken down for their understanding. My girls were not mind readers and using the blanket expression, “Behave!” did not provide them with the data that they needed to understand.  So!!! As we traveled the remainder of our trip to the grocery store, we discussed some examples of what “Good” behavior was and “Bad” behavior was. As the girls got older, we modified our expectations to meet their needs and my expectations so that everyone knew what behavior was expected and did not have to guess to stay out of trouble.

We have control of HOW we react!

We DO NOT have control of the events and circumstances that we are faced with.

Just as our children look to their parents to provide additional information, or guidance through learning experiences, I feel that God also provides us with the same learning experiences.  Adults need to remember that we must demonstrate “child like faith” and move through the seasons in our lives with a sense of learning and wonder. We are not to mope around with the attitude of “poor, poor, pitiful me….. I have experienced all of this sadness and hard ache, what am I to do?”

As Christians, we are the only bible that some people see….. Are we providing an example through our daily attitudes and choices that will witness to others? 

As a Christian adult in a non Christian world…. I, like my children, when they were little, must depend on God to see the whole picture, know what the circumstances of events play in the lives of everyone involved, and trust that I have learned how to behave in a manner that will always meet the expectations that are set before me. I have control of how I react to the news of worldly events around me. I do not have control of the events themselves. God does or he allows it!  

My daily focus is to be a Christian role model in a Non Christian world. I pray that I will always be a witness for my faith and never be a stumbling block for those around me.  I MUST demonstrate a “childlike faith” of trust and know that everything will be alright in the long run.  Focusing on my behavior, my attitude, thanking God for the opportunity to be a witness for Him through every event and aspect of my life is my goal.

Yes…. Bad things happen to good people…. But,  I focus on how I fit into the Big picture as a witness whether I understand or not…..I don’t have to worry about the why. God handles that.

 I concentrate on how can I be a witness and what can I do to help?…… that is my prayer and focus.