The most common word directed to any Deity is "why".
Why me?
Why did this happen?
Why are things the way they are?
Why do bad things happen to the inocent?
Why..................?
You can come up with a hunderd questions we want answers to.
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Is God unfair? This is the very question Asaph (he was a worship leader in the Temple) asked God about. Why are the wicked doing so well? If you read Psalm 73 you will see the struggle he went through. It wasn't until Asaph saw everything through the focus of eternity, did he understand.
I knew of a woman that became a Christian. The Bible instructs wives to be a witness to their unbelieving husbands by their behavior (1 Peter 3:1-2). Her husband was not saved. He enjoyed coming home at 2am with a bunch of his buddies, wake her up and demand breakfast. She would do this every time with a smile. One day, one of the friends asked her, why she would even do this. Her response is the same as Asaph's. "If by my actions, he gives his life over to the Lord, he will live in Heaven. If he doesn't, then this is the best he will ever have".
So, Why do bad things happen to good people? Who is good? The Bible says that only God is good. It says that our Righteousness is like filthy rags. So who is good? It also says that it rains on the good and the wicked. Think back on the conversation we had about the Pope condemning condoms (or something of that sort). Aids is the only pandemic that can be brought to a sudden near extinction by simple moral behavior. Most of the disease we have is because of immoral sin in our lives. If you get drunk, fall down the stairs and break your leg, are you going to ask God, "Why"? It is beyond that, sin has corrupted humanity, as well as the whole earth. Look at the thorns, poisons, cancers, ets....
I do not mean to imply that if you have some sort of genetic berth defect, blame your parents. No, it is much farther reaching than that. It is only to say, because you neighbor, who is a wicked person, is doing so well, don't blame God. Remember, this was not the plan, it is the result of the fall of man.
I heard of a young girl that was in intensive care, near death. She was not expected to live through the night. So, the church members all gathered around the family and prayed all night. The next morning the doctor came out, with wonderful news. She will not only live, but recover fully in time. One of the Deacons said to the father, "isn't God assume"? The father replied, "would God not be assume is she would have died"?
Job asked if God was silent.
Is God hidden during suffering?
People who suffer from chronic pain, are the ones that asked that quite often. I am one of them, not to ask the question, but in chronic pain. But, my response is, "it is not cancer, and I am not paralyzed".
In my last doctor visit, we found that my right foot has lost some more of it's reflex.
A couple things to remember:
1. Through our experiences, we can have true empathy. Without the pain, it is only sympathy for someone else.
2. "Light houses are built by ship wrecked sailors".
We have to be very careful as to what we attribute to God. A friend of mine who is very well off, once said that "God has blessed them". My reply was, "Does that mean that Hugh Hefner is even more blessed by God?" This infuriated my friend. I can say that God blesses and Chastises, but be very discerning as to what you say. Remember that God was gong to kill Job's 3 friends, and it was only the sacrifice Job made that spared their lives. As Job said, "miserable comforters are you..."
Weep with those who weep.
I think it all boils down to the fact that all things occur/exist/happen to bring glory to God. Not glory as we know it, but to glorify His omnicient power and existence. He grieves when we grieve, but it's an opportunity to be closer to Him. He hurts when we hurt, but it's an opportunity to be closer to Him. It's all about Him - our Creator, the "I am."
His only desire is that we come to have a personal relationship with Him through His son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). It is all so simple. We believe and by His unmatchless grace, we are forgiven, a gift that cannot be rescinded except by disbelief.
He is always there - in tragedy and in jubilation - always. He just wants to draw us closer. He loves us so and he cares that much.
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