Why Did God Allow That To Happen?

God is always sad when bad things happen, just as he was sad when man committed the first sin, but God gave man free will. I don’t believe God wanted to make robots.

 When planes flew into our Twin Towers I remember people asking “why would God allow that to happen?”

 When there are mass shootings, especially at our school’s people ask “how could God allow that to happen?”

 When a small child is stricken with cancer before their life has a chance to get started I have asked God myself “why would you allow this to happen?”

 Throughout my life people have asked me “if there really is a God why would he allow this bad thing or that bad thing?”

 Now, because I am a Christian the question has become, “why would your God allow this to happen?”

 When someone asked me a question like this I was ashamed and disgusted with myself for not having an answer for them.

 Where a simple “I don’t know” always seemed to suffice before, it sounded empty and uncaring now.

(I know this is the Holy Spirit working inside me)

 Questions like this now demand I have an answer that comes from the word of God. It is my responsibility as a Christian to speak as if the words came directly from God.

1 Peter 4:11 (KJV) says:

 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;  

  This verse was a bit frightening to me when I first read it. I’m supposed to speak like God? But the next part assures me that God will help me out.

  If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

“I don’t know” does not sound to me like the answer God would give to the question, “why did you allow this to happen.”

So, this tells me that as a Christian I need a better answer. That means getting in the word. Tough questions always mean getting in the word.

So, in my study (getting in the word) I found that actually Jesus told us that we would have tribulations in our lives.

John 16:33 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Romans 5:12 (ESV)

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.

We had everything perfect until sin. No pain, suffering, or death.

As Christians we are to go forth with Gods word. We are not all pastors or speakers but as Christians we are all among people representing God which is the most direct contact with Gods word that many people may receive.

The movie “God’s not Dead” depicts a college proffessor insisting that every student sign a piece of paper stating that God is dead. Josh, who is a Christian refuses, so he must prove God is alive or fail the class. Later Josh is discussing his challenge with Rev. Dave (who is awesome by the way)

Rev. Dave : How many people in that class?

Josh Wheaton: Eighty maybe.

Reverend Dave: And how many of them do you think would ever step foot in here, or any other church for that matter?

Josh Wheaton: Well, none probably.

Reverend Dave: So, your acceptance of this challenge, if you decide to accept it, may be the only meaningful exposure to God and Jesus they’ll ever have.

Josh: I guess that’s so.

Wow, to me that would feel like a huge responsibility but,

 This is every Christians responsibility. This includes me. This is going forth with his word. When presented with a challenge or opportunity such as this (I must) we must step up/step forward, defend our faith and spread God’s word.

 A very good friend sent me Anne Graham’s (Billy Graham’s daughter) her response to a question regarding Hurricane Katrina, the interviewer asked: how could God let a tragedy like this happen? (paraphrase) Ms. Graham answered: God is saddened just as we are when bad things happen. For years we have asked God to get out of our schools, our government, our lives, and being the gentleman he is, he did. (She continued) The Bible tells us to be kind and love one another but we have taken away the Bible and prayer so even our kids are growing up not knowing right from wrong. How can we ask why God has allowed something bad to happen when we have asked him to stay out of our lives?

 Ms. Graham was not caught off guard as the interviewer may have expected. She gave an honest, heartfelt, Christian answer to a tough question… She did not say “I don’t know”

As Christians we are glad to have Jesus as our savior. We understand bad things will happen, but also know that whatever pain, or suffering comes we have hope and a wonderful future in Jesus.

Because:

John (my favorite verse) 3:16 says:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

And:

Revelation 21:4 (ESV) Says:

 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be

mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

So now, armed with the word,

 When someone is in pain, loses a loved one, or a terrible disaster strikes and asks me why God allowed it to happen I can be more confident and maybe even comforting with my Christian based response.  

 I will respond with heartfelt empathy (fitting the circumstance) and add,

 God is always saddened when any of his creations suffer. He created us perfectly and without pain, but we have grown away from God, so during our time here on earth we will see pain and suffering, but God still loves us, in fact he loves us so much that he sent his only son to die for us so that we have the opportunity of everlasting life with no more pain or suffering.

 In this way, Bible study and scripture is combined into an easily understood paragraph. I know God would want what I say to be according to scripture but also clear and easily understood.

 We can never know a person’s reaction, but a correct response to a tough question might just begin to open someone’s heart to Jesus.

 And it certainly is a better answer than “I don’t know?”