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Featured Why does God allow bad things to happen to his people?

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by evangelist6589, Dec 13, 2013.

  1. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    My wife fell on black ice and broke her ankle in three places. I am sad, and kinda upset about it all and asking Why God allowed this? But then again it could have been allot worse, or it could get worse and one thing will lead to another, and another, etc.. I do not know the future, nor do I know if God allowed this to strengthen our marriage, or to discipline us. My wife is taking it well, and is patient, humble, and is not bitter at all. There is a book by Jerry Bridges called Trusting God even when life hurts that I plan to go through again, and its been awhile since the last time. If anyone has any sermons by Charles Stanley on this topic please post them, as he seems a compassionate author whom knows application well.

    One can't interpret every trial as a demonic attack, and the book of James says to count it all joy when we go through trials and hardships. Its not easy having joy, but with the help of the Holy Spirit this can be possible. Besides the health of my wife, I have also been worried about finances as there will be copays and stuff we need to pay out of pocket of which we do not have the money. My wife has filed bankruptcy before, but these kinds of things happen and plenty that have filed bankrupcy end up with large hospital bills. I am in lots of debt as well, however I am able to make payments which makes my score high.

    If anyone has a personal story, or can relate to my situation please do post.
     
    #1 evangelist6589, Dec 13, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 13, 2013
  2. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    I am very sorry your wife slipped and was injured.

    I expect you may receive many answers. Some may help. Some may hurt. Some you may accept. Some you may reject.

    Some will say:

    1. Because of sin entering the world through Adam and Eve
    2. Because that is the way the laws of nature work. We slip, gravity pulls us down, we get hurt.
    3. Because there can be no good without there also being bad.
    4. Because it is simply a coincidence of occurrences ...
    I am sure there are many more responses than can and may be made.

    I cannot give you a definite answer. No one can IMHO.

    Living in this world we know that bad things can and do happen to good people. Knowing that it seems to me that the important approach to your question is not to ask God why it happened, but in how we respond, and what do we do not that it has happened.

    I will think more on this. It is an important topic.
     
  3. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    Brother, I am very sorry that your wife has broken her ankle so badly. I've slipped on black ice before and had friends and family do the same. It's a bad thing.

    Here's something to consider - and I promise that i don't mean it lightly.

    How about lifting some praises to God that your wife didn't break her back or neck or BOTH ankles. That's what I try to do when life throw me a curve ball like my cancer last summer or my mother's current and grievous illness.

    I don't have a sermon from Bro. Stanley, but I do have a post that I gave to a non-believer who was asking similar questions on another board last year. Maybe it might speak to you.

    I'll be praying for your wife.

     
  4. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Wow. You must be a prophet.
     
  5. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I heard it explained this way, and something that gave me a good visual in trying to grasp. The top of a beautiful tapestry shows great skill, artistry and beauty...but the underside is a jumbled mess of loose threads and ugliness. Things that occur to us today are like looking up and only seeing the underside, but when we get to heaven we will be looking down on the beauty and understand how they work together
     
  6. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    I know that you know, compared to the suffering of others, this is not exactly minor, but it isn't a major, life-threatening event, either. I understand your concern, and your worry. At a time when it is taking all our resources to keep our heads above water, crises arise that throw us off-balance and threaten our financial and emotional health, and perhaps create an even greater crisis, one of faith. First and foremost, know that God is with you and your wife. I know you arleady know this. This far too often comes off sounding like a platitude when our brothers and sisters meet disaster, but it isn't. God is with you, brother!

    One of the silliest movies ever made was "Galaxy Quest" with Tim Allen as an actor in an old "Star Trek"-type series who found himself in dire straits with real space aliens. The only thing he could remember was his old character's byline, "Never give up! Never surrender!" We think we need more than that, but truthfuly, in Christ, we have that and much more. We don't have to give up. We don't have to surrender. He will see us through, always on time, never late, forever faithful.

    Now, having said that, nonetheless, you and I -- everyone on this board -- are bothered by the fact that innocent people suffer undeservedly. Not just ourselves, but those in our families, our neighborhood, our church, children in Africa and Asia. We should be. Any person with an ounce of moral sensitivity is outraged by the injustices of our world.

    But what if we found the answer? What if someone came along and gave us a satisfying explanation? What if the mystery were finally solved? What if we asked why, and actually got an answer? If this ultimate question were answered, then we would be able to make peace with the suffering of innocents. And that is unthinkable.

    Worse than innocent people suffering is others watching their suffering unmoved. And that's exactly what would happen if we were to understand why innocents suffer. We would no longer be bothered by their cry, we would no longer feel their pain, because we would understand why it is happening. When you have an explanation, pain still hurts, but we generally can tolerate suffering and pain if we know why it is happening.

    If we could make sense of innocent people suffering, if we could rationalize tragedy, then we could live with it. We would be able to hear the cry of sweet children in pain and not be horrified. We could say, "Oh, that is happening because of 'thus-and-so.' " We would tolerate seeing broken hearts and shattered lives, for we would be able to neatly explain them away by citing our knowledge of the reasoning behind it. Our question would be answered, and we could move on.

    But as long as the pain of innocents remains a burning question, we are bothered by its existence. And as long as we can't explain pain, we must alleviate it. If innocent people suffering does not fit into our worldview, we must eradicate it. Rather than justifying their pain, we need to get rid of it.

    So keep asking the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

    But at the same time, stop looking for answers.

    Start formulating a response. Take your righteous anger and turn it into a force for doing good. Redirect your frustration with injustice and unfairness and channel it into a drive to fight injustice and unfairness. Let your outrage propel you into action. When you see innocent people suffering, help them. Combat the pain in the world with goodness. Alleviate suffering wherever you can.

    We don't want answers, we don't want explanations, and we don't want closure. We want an end to suffering. And we dare not leave it up to God to alleviate suffering. He is waiting for us to do it. That's what we are here for.
     
  7. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    Hello John,

    We are sorry to hear about your wife. Tell her we will pray for her. Recently my MIL severely broke her ankle and had several surgeries. She called my phone and I didn't hear it, but I got this notion that I needed to look at my phone. Four minutes prior she left a message that she fell down the stairs. As they live across the street I went over and found her bawling and her ankle was as big around as a cantaloupe. She broke her other ankle 18 months prior so she was much depressed over it but she has recovered and this as well has come to pass.

    Love your wife, find a place to praise God in it, take time for her, support her, grow.
     
  8. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    I agree with the posts that have already been made.

    Some things in this life we may never really know why God permits to come to place.

    Why did God allow my nephew's 38 YO wife of and mother of 4 to die with cancer 8 yrs ago on this day?

    Why did God allow 9-11 to take place?

    Why does God allow little babies die of SIDS?

    Why does God allow a bus full of people coming home from a Bible retreat die on an Interstate?

    Why did God allow my uncle to slip and fall from a ladder and thus break his neck while my crippled aunt stood by inside to witness her husband die before her very eyes?

    Some things we may never know why He permits to take place in this life, but I like to put it in this perspective:

    Why did the Father in heaven allow Jesus to die for a sinner such as me?
     
  9. nodak

    nodak Active Member
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    I came across a story, whether true or not doesn't matter that helped me see life a little differently. I cannot for the life of me tell you where I came across it.

    Imagine for a moment you are a Jewish mama or papa in Germany in 1930. Your little boy or girl is slowly dying in front of you with leukemia. You have begged and pleaded with God not to let this tragedy happen, but your only child is soon to be gone.

    You feel God has so let you down every time you see your neighbors, also Jewish, with their happy healthy children.

    You continue feeling that way until the day you and your friends and their children stand outside the death camp.

    Then you know the death of your child was God's kindness.

    Now, of course God could have simply stopped Hitler. Healed your child and kept all the children safe. I have no idea why God did not. Perhaps the free willers are right and God chooses to limit Himself. Or perhaps the non free willers are right and this is all part of God's plan.

    All I know is God is God, and I trust Him--feebly, poorly, erratically for sure. And I am learning to trust Him more. And I admit fervently hoping and praying He doesn't teach me to trust Him more by sending or allowing some more tragedy in my life.

    And I know we can lift you and your wife up in prayer!
     
  10. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Immerse yourself in Foxe's Book of Martyrs and visit The Voice of the Martyrs website.

    You ain't seen nuthin'.
     
  11. clark thompson

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    Bad things happen to those who follow the Lord and those who don't.
     
  12. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    This is plain wrong and insensitive. One doesn't have to be a martyr in order to personally suffer from things that happen to us.
     
  13. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Sometimes these things happen and as others have said, we won't always know why.

    However, both you and your wife should pray that God shows you the good in this. Now you have an opportunity to minister to the doctor and nurses that you wouldn't normally see. You have an opportunity to selflessly serve your wife during this time of being incapacitated and you both have the opportunity to praise God in the storm.

    I know where you are right now because 9 years ago, my husband fell off the roof and essentially crushed his foot. 5.5 months of non-weight bearing in a cast (meaning he couldn't shower by himself, couldn't get dressed by himself, couldn't carry anything by himself, couldn't drive, etc.) stretched us both in ways that would not have happened otherwise. Unfortunately, he has long-term negative effects from this injury causing him severe pain many days but God is still good. :)

    Find creative ways to bless your wife and marriage during this time! Read a book together - play games - talk. I pray that she heals quickly and without too much pain! Does she need surgery?
     
  14. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    Agreed since there are those in the church who are weak and those who are strong, and we are all weak and strong in differing areas. We are to support both.
     
  15. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    One verse you might keep in mind: 2 Cor 1:4. I have often found this verse to be true.

    In 2000, I was diagnosed with a permanent condition. Some months later, someone I worked with found out her father had been diagnosed with the same condition. Because I knew the specifics about this condition, I was able to comfort her and let her know it wasn't as bad as she thought.

    It has been my understanding from scripture, and my personal experience, that God allows things so that we can use that experience to show His love and awesomeness, and why we should love Him especially when things seem toughest.
     
  16. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Just puttin' it in perspective, Santa.
     
  17. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    Yes absolutely:wavey::thumbs::wavey:
     
  18. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Thanks for the response. I am not sure as to the answer on the "why" but I feel its a trial to test our faith. I do not believe there is any obvious sin here, other than me and my wife sometimes fighting.
     
  19. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    In church this morning we plan to give praise that she did not break her back, both ankles, or hit her head. It could have been allot worse!


     
  20. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Thats a good illustration.
     
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