God, Why Did You Let This Happen?
My nephew, Charlie, is 17 months old, and it has been so much fun watching him grow.
Listening to him learn new words has probably been my favorite part of this process. One of the first words, other than Mama and Daddy, that he said clearly was “book”. It was adorable! I remember being so amazed at how this small little human had expressed such a clear thought. With each new word that he says, it brings a smile to my face.
It won’t be long before he expands his vocabulary further and even begins to string these solitary words into small sentences. Before we know it, he will be asking that question that parents with small children hear so often…”why?”
Kids are so curious about the world around them and it seems like they are constantly asking why objects work the way they do, why they can’t act a certain way, or why something has happened.
Sara Claudia and Charlie reading a braille book.
However, as adults, are we really that different?
We are especially prone to asking the “why” question when bad things happen in our lives.
Why did I get fired?
Why did my mother have to leave us so early?
Why am I going through this divorce?
As Christians, we know that God is all-powerful. So, it seems natural for us to begin questioning Him as well.
God, why did you let this happen?
Surprisingly, at the beginning of my journey with sight loss, I do not remember asking this question often. Maybe I was just too overcome by shock!
Recently, however, as I have been studying God’s word and strengthening my relationship with Him more and more, this question has begun to pervade my thoughts. Maybe it’s a natural curiosity, or maybe it is the enemy trying to fill me with doubt.
God, why do you allow bad things to happen?
I’ll admit, as I began asking this question, I did begin to doubt God’s plan, but God is so good.
He has placed some amazing people in my life that have inadvertently and unknowingly answered this question for me in the past few weeks. I wanted to share what I have learned from them, from God’s word, and from the Lord Himself about why He sometimes allows bad things to happen in our lives.
To Draw Us Closer To Him
In my Sunday School class a few weeks ago, shortly after I began struggling with the “why” question, my teacher, Donna, said something that really struck me.
She stated, “We live in a fallen world, and Satan is very powerful. He can make bad things happen in our lives. However, God is more powerful. He can intervene, but sometimes He allows those things to happen so that we will draw closer to him.”
This all began in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve, by way of eating the forbidden fruit, fell from friendship with God into disobedience and sin. At this time, their eyes were opened to the evil in the world. Because of this, we are surrounded by temptation, pain, and hardships.
We are fallen.
When we start asking the “why” question and wanting to blame God, who is the real enemy and cause of our pain?
“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12 NLT)
God doesn’t want to hurt us, but Satan surely does.
God may allow this pain, however, so that we can feel the true strength, grace, and power that comes from His protection.
Do not fight God through your trials with the “why” question. Instead, run to Him, allow Him to draw you close, and feel the peace, comfort, and security that only comes from donning His armor.
A group together on a hill with the sunset behind them.
To Help Others.
This second reason came to me from the pastor at my church. He was speaking about his experience in pastoral counseling and how he reacts to the question of, “God, why did you allow this in my life?”
His response was that, sometimes, God allows us to endure a trial so that, in the future, we can help someone else walking down a similar path.
At first glance, this does not seem fair at all.
Why am I the one you chose, God?
Why must I go through something so hard just to make it easier for someone else?
I love sharing my story of loss, pain, and God’s power in order to encourage others to trust the Lord through their trials. However, there are definitely days where it just feels too hard to help me, let alone help someone else.
During these times, it is important for me to remember that we are all called to be servants, just like Jesus.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 NLT)
Jesus came to this earth knowing that He would suffer greatly, but He did it all for us.
When we focus on this fact through our own suffering, we can surely do the same for one another.
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 NLT)
For His Glory
Recently, I came across the story of the raising of Lazarus in John 11 during my daily devotion, and this passage is a great example of God using our suffering for His glory.
In this chapter, Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus when their brother, Lazarus, became very ill in hopes that Jesus would come and heal him. Jesus, however, did not rush to His companion’s side.
“So, although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, He stayed where He was for the next two days.” (John 11:5-6 NLT)
When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days.
Why would He allow this horrible fate for His friend?
Why did He allow Mary and Martha to endure the pain of burying their brother?
“But when Jesus heard about it, He said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” (John 11:4 NLT)
Jesus knew that Lazarus’s sickness would cause suffering, but He also knew that the end result would ultimately bring glory to God.
He felt the grief of Lazarus’s death with Mary and Martha and cried with them. Then, however, Jesus did something truly miraculous.
He raised Lazarus from the dead.
You see, it was hard for Mary and Martha to endure that pain, but God used this suffering so that all who were gathered at Lazarus’s grave that day could see His power.
The raising of Lazarus was an illustration of what will happen to everyone who believes in Jesus. We will all have to suffer death here on earth, but just as Lazarus was resurrected, those who believe and are saved will also be raised and taken to their eternal home with Christ.
Jesus used this suffering to show that He truly was sent by God, and we can also be a light for Christ through our own trials.
By letting Gods’ glory show through the pain in our lives, we can lead others to believe in Him, help someone else with their own trial, and draw closer to God along the way.
I challenge you, and myself, to not ask “why” when we face trials. Instead, let’s turn the situation over to God and ask him “how”.
How can we allow Him to work in our lives and use the situation for His glory?
