"Preacher, I've still got some questions about bad things happening."

Today I want to finish up with some answer to specific questions about bad things happening:

• Why does God continue to challenge us in life, when we have had so many difficult challenges and we just would like to come to peace with life?

AND

• Do bad things happen to good people because God or the Devil is teaching you a lesson?

Those questions go hand in hand, and they speak to what is often our perception about events in our lives.  We see God is challenging us or teaching us a lesson.  We see God as kind of a big bully in the sky, and we just want Him to take it easy on us.  But bad things don't happen to us because of God.  God does not will or wish for bad things to happen to us.  God wants good things for us.  Romans 8:28 says that God is working for good in our lives, not bad. 

Bad things happen because we live in a broken world.  We invited disobedience into the world, and now we're upset at its affect.  Of course, we're all to blame.  We are broken people.  The devil is out to get us, to keep us from being all God created us to be.  But God isn't out to get us.  God is out to save us.  Certainly, God tests us, but those tests usually aren't to 'teach us a lesson.'  God's tests are to test our faith so that He can give us more.  God wants good for us, though.  You can bank on that.  One more question in this same line of thought.

• If a person has "faith" in Christ, why do they still suffer from health issues?

Because He never promised it would be easy.  And he never promised prosperity and health.  The Apostle Paul talked about the "thorn in his side" that stayed with him his whole life.  Moses dealt with being 'slow of speech'.  There's simply not a guarantee that when we follow Jesus, everything will be roses.  And there's no guarantee that we'll be healthy and that he'll bring healing to every ailment we have.  I wish there was, but there's simply not.  There is the promise that He will be with us, and the great gift of faith is that when we go through things like health issues that God is with us.  We are not alone.  We can draw on a well of strength and comfort that is limitless...a well that gives patience and understanding, even in the pain of sickness.

God is healing this broken world.  The hope of those who believe is a resurrection world in which there is no sickness, no more disease, no more tears, and no more brokenness.  Come Lord Jesus.