1-04 | Is God Teaching Me a Lesson?

Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Does God allow trials in our lives? If so, why?

My question is, “Why wouldn’t he?” Trouble comes to us all no matter what our belief in God. For some reason, the Church has come to the conclusion that trouble only comes to Christians because God allows it. Everyone else experiences trouble because they’re bad. But he allows trouble for believers because he’s trying to teach us something. Problem is, we can’t understand the lesson. Why won’t God reveal the lesson? He must then be unjust. This is a huge example of how certain teachings have destroyed faith in some.

Where does it say that trials come to teach us lessons? Anyone? Where is that written?

Probably the one verse that comes to mind the most is James 1:2-3…

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Again…anyone? What’s the connection between trials, God and life lessons here?

The above verse is absolutely correct. We are going to face trials of many kinds. Facing those trials with faith will produce perseverance in our character. James is simply stating the obvious. Character is a developed quality gained because of our faith that will help us get through the current trial and the next.

Honestly, any kind of faith can get you there. Simply keeping a positive outlook can get you there. I’m not taking away from faith in God that James is talking about. I’m simply saying that having faith that you are going to make it through trials will give you strength of character—perseverance to get through.

It’s just the true nature of things whether one is a believer or not. And yes, I believe God planted that truth into nature. Like St. Augustine said, “All truth is God’s truth.” So when someone who has no faith in God maintains a determination and belief that they will make it through hardship, they are employing one of God’s truths. The result is perseverance or stronger character.

Is protection promised?

Remember the big crappy fan from my January 9th post? The fan is real. I’m sure God isn’t chucking crap into it. Neither is he standing in front of it, taking the brunt of all the crap that’s coming your way. Can he stop it from coming? Sure. I believe he has shielded my family and me at times, but that is simply not promised in scripture. On the contrary, you might say that the opposite is promised.

If you’re old like me, you will remember the infamous bumper sticker, “Shit Happens”. Truer words have never been spoken or displayed on the rear bumper of a Chevette. Jesus stated it a little nicer. “In this world you will have trouble.”¹ But just because Jesus said it would happen doesn’t mean it’s coming from him or that he allows it.

I’ve heard the same broken record over and over again from people. “I don’t know what God wants me to learn.” Or, “I’m sure there’s a lesson in this somewhere.” You’ve heard it too, or maybe you’ve said some form of it. And if you did, I’m sure it was with some sense of exasperation.² Is that how our Heavenly Father treats us? What would we think of our mom or dad who treated us like that?

God is not like a mean high school math teacher that gives you a problem then says, “Ok…figure it out. Learn the lesson.” Yet that’s exactly how we talk about God—like he’s a mean high school math teacher. Either that or he’s the worst teacher ever. I mean, if God wants me to learn something, don’t you think he knows how to teach it?

Exasperate is our word of the day today. The Apostle Paul told dads, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”³ If the Bible tells me as a dad to not deal with my kids in a way that would exasperate them, why do we think God would? That would make him a cosmic hypocrite.

Jesus said, “ If you, then, though you are evil (in comparison to God), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”⁴ This entire passage speaks of an open-handed, benevolent Father who is so much better than us at everything. If we’re told not to exasperate our children, how much more will he not do it to us?

Drum roll please

So to address the million dollar question…why do bad things happen, especially to good people…

Hold on. (Record scratch noise) That brings another question to mind.

What makes me good? Certainly not my ability to do good things. Is it because I trust Jesus? That’s definitely a good thing, but, according to him, that doesn’t keep bad things away. Even Jesus asked, “Why do you call me good?” So who are we to claim goodness beyond any of it that God gives us?

We can do good and be good, but we are not good enough for bad things to keep their distance. At least I know I’m not.

So why do bad things happen to everyone?

Because they do.

That’s a sucky answer, right?

Trouble just comes because we’re here. We’re humans on Earth somewhere outside of Eden. The Bible clearly states this truth. It isn’t declaring that over us. God is not calling it into reality with some kind of “Let there be trouble” statement. It’s just a true statement. Maybe that’s why we have a hard time with it so much. It’s like there has to be a reason!

I don’t think there is any reason why I had a stroke when I was 41 years old. But recovering with faith in God and determination to regain what was lost produced some good things in my life. Things I’m not sure I would have otherwise.

Endurance.

I don’t think there is a reason why our daughter’s immune system suddenly turned against her major organs when she was just 13 years old. All we could do was watch as a healthy teenager went into complete heart failure with no explanation. She recovered. Now Vicki and I get the pleasure of watching this amazing young woman mature with a zest for life.

Perseverance.

My dad passed away from prostate cancer in 2018. In an effort to explain it all away, one man said that since he wasn’t healed, my dad must be holding onto some kind of sin. If I didn’t feel so sorry for that guy I might have punched him in the face. Look, there is no reason why my dad had to die and my mom now lives alone. There just isn’t. Did God want him more? That’s totally absurd. But I’ve discovered there is both beauty and pain in love that endures through loss.

Trouble will come because you’re alive. So I’m not sure why we get so surprised when we find ourselves in the middle it.

So does God allow trouble or is it simply happening to you? I’m not sure why that matters.

Is he trying to teach you a lesson? Probably not.

Will you grow better through the trials you face? You certainly can.

C’est la vie.

1. John 16:33

2. vocabulary.com, “If you've ever become so frustrated with someone or something that you feel like you're at the end of your rope, you have experienced exasperation. You are fed up!“

3. Ephesians 6:4

4. Jesus, Matthew 7:11 (parentheses added)