"21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People" #4

by Iris

First a brief review:
We've been looking at some thoughts from the book "21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People" by Dave Earley. In previous lessons we've seen there are 4 Important Truths regarding this topic of suffering.

1. God is under no obligation to give us an explanation for suffering.
2. God has given us plenty of explanation if we will only look for it and accept it.
3. God can do more than one good thing through the bad things that happen to us.
4. God knows what it is to suffer, and He knows how to help us in our suffering.

From the book, we've learned about 6 possible reasons bad things happen to good people. First, the main reason is God created the world good and God created people with the ability to choose. People chose evil and their choice brought evil into the world. Their choice has had lasting consequences for all mankind.

Second, it may be to win an unseen victory. Just as Job didn't know about the battle between Satan and God, we may also be players in an unseen battle.
Third, it may be to expand our perspective of God. God may be doing things that are bigger than we can imagine and, as in the case of Job, our suffering may be part of something much bigger than we are. Possessing a bigger, more accurate view of God is a very valuable gift. To our detriment, we easily forget how infinitely big, intelligent, powerful, and good is our God.

Fourth, it may be to deepen our humility before God. Adversity has a way of reminding us that we are not the center of the universe. Pain has the power to point out our insufficiency. It reminds us, often brutally, of our naked insecurity, broken vulnerability, often overlooked mortality, and immense dependency. It forces us to depend on others and turn to God. When suffering has thrown us flat on our back and we have nowhere to look but up, it is only then that we truly see God.

Fifth, it may be to produce greater intimacy with God. God desires a close, personal relationship with us and has promised to always be with us. He expects us to trust Him to keep His promises. Adversity will either come between you and God or it will push you closer to God--it's your choice.

And sixth, bad things may happen to us to prepare us to receive far greater blessings. The hard lessons learned through the tough times make us ready to deal with better days by building into our lives needed virtues such as patience, grace, dependence upon God, godly priorities and perspectives. Bad times can produce good things in us that mold us into the type of people God can trust to handle more good things.

So far, we've been looking at the story of Job as it relates to this topic. Let's branch out and look at some other good people in the Bible to whom bad things happened.

Bad things may happen to us
To Position Us for Higher Promotion

How on earth could a Hebrew shepherd, the eleventh-ranked brother in his own family, possible become prime minister of a mighty world power? Humanly speaking it would be absolutely, undeniably, irrevocably impossible. But there is a God who can use very bad things to accomplish very good things, even impossibly good things--and that is exactly what happened to a boy named Joseph.
Beginning with Genesis chapter 37, I invite you to read this extraordinary story. Joseph's story is in chapters 37, 39-45. However, here I will summarize it.
God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams, a skill that would lead him into a life of leadership, but not without tragedy. Joseph's brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery to some Midianite traders. They faked his death by soaking his coat of many colors in animal blood so his father would believe he was dead. All his privileges and rights were taken away and he ended up a slave in Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
While working as a slave in the household of Potiphar, Joseph was blessed to demonstrate his leadership abilities and became trusted. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All Potiphar's household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. But, Joseph was betrayed and accused falsely by Potiphar's wife of assaulting her. Joseph was thrown into prison. But, God was still using Joseph and allowed him to find favor with the warden who put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.
There followed other betrayals and mishaps in prison for many years until Joseph was called to interpret a dream by the Pharaoh. Pharaoh recognized that God had given Joseph this power and was with him. At the age of 30, Joseph was made second in power over the land of Egypt with all the rights and privileges of that position.
As a result of his predicting a seven-year famine and making proper preparations for it, Joseph was able to provide food for his family and be re-united with them.
From a seventeen year-old slave, thirteen years of one tragedy after another, to become the ruler of one of the most powerful nations on earth at that time, Joseph demonstrated that the God of our universe can indeed use bad things to result in great good. Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50: 20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people."

How has God helped you through some trials to something better?



God may all allow bad things to happen
To Prepare Us For the Miraculous

Would you like God to do an amazing, jaw-dropping, inexplicable, stand up and holler miracle in your life? Who wouldn't want to see sickness instantaneously healed? Who wouldn't want to see a healthy child placed in a barren womb? What about a dead man made alive? How about walking on top of a stormy sea? How about clean, bubbling torrents of water in the desert? But, think, before you answer.

One day, as I was studying the miracles in the Bible, I had a profound insight. To you it is probably obvious, but to me it was a new understanding and a big deal. My big brainstorm was this: There are no miracles without messes. Walk through the scriptures. Every miracle followed closely on the heels on a giant mess. For example:

1. Sarah endured ninety years of the frustrating humiliation of barrenness before her miracle baby, Isaac was born. (Genesis 17:16-18)
2. Moses was leading a million slaves to their slaughter at the hands of Pharaoh and his chariots before the Red Sea opened, allowing them to pass through on dry land. (Exodus 14)
3. Thousands of people had to grow tired and hungry before Jesus multiplied fish and bread enough for all to feast. (Matthew 14)
4. The widow and her son had to be starving ahead of the unlimited bin of flour and unending jar of oil lasted until the drought was over. (1 Kings 17:13-15)

5. Daniel had to be thrown into the lion's den before he could be spared from even a scratch. (Daniel 6)
6. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the furnace prior to being protected so completely by the Son of God that no one could even smell smoke on them. (Daniel 3)
7. Bartimaeus had to experience a lifetime of blindness prior to experiencing the Great Physician's healing touch. (Mark 10)
8. Jesus never would have had to free the man in the tombs from a legion of demons if the man had not been demonized in the first place. (Mark 5)

9. The ten lepers had to suffer the agonies of leprosy before experiencing the miracle of their healing. (Luke 17)
10. Peter had to go to prison before the angel could unlock his chains and set him free. (Acts 12)
11. Paul and Silas had to be beaten severely and thrown into prison prior to the amazing earthquake that opened the heart of the Philippian jailer. (Acts 16)
12. Lazarus had to suffer the pain of illness and death before he could be raised from the dead! (John 11) So did Jesus.
The biblical record is quite clear. There were no miracles without previous messes. The need for a miracle is necessitated by the presence of an impossible situation, usually unbearable suffering. Today, God still does miracles. He often performs miracles today as an answer to prayer for physical healing. Sometimes He miraculously protects us from accident. He is able to set aside the laws of nature that He Himself put into motion if it is according to His will to do so.

Today, He doesn't need to use humans to perform miracles for Him as He did in the times of the Old Testament and the New Testament when those miracles were for the purpose of proving the truth of His word or His power. We see this taught in various scriptures:
Mark 16:20 "Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it."
Acts 14:3 "So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders."
Acts 8: 5 "Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing."
John 20: 30 "Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."

Now, we have the Bible, the written Word of God, to verify who God is and what He can do. If we won't listen to the Scriptures, we wouldn't believe a miracle performed by a man. This truth is given in the account of the deaths of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:27 “The rich man answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

After we finish with this series, I'll be presenting some lessons about the miracles in the Bible and miracles that we see today.

Let's pause for questions or comments.







To Increase the Testimony of God
There are two great accounts of this in the book of Daniel--chapter 6 and chapter 3. Most of you are familiar with these two events in the life of Daniel. Think about what happened. Daniel was a good man who was sentenced to death for doing a good thing, faithfully standing for God and praying to Him no matter what. Why did a good and almighty God permit this horrible event to happen to such a truly good person?

Daniel 6:19 "At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."




God allowed such a big mess so He could do such a great miracle. But that is not the end of the story. Read on:
Daniel 6: 24 "At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! 26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian."

The same story is acted out with different actors in chapter 3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a similar situation. King Nebuchadnezzar had issued an order that an idol be worshipped: "4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

But these 3 men of God refused.
12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.” 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

They were sentenced to the furnace but God rescued them.
"24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Again, a bad thing happened to good people because they were faithful to God. And again, God miraculously intervened to provide a clear and powerful testimony of His Glory!

Share some experiences you've had where you know it was God's intervention to deliver you from harm.