Why Do Bad Things happen ?

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen in the world? Why at times they even happen to good people. Most have heard at one time or another, the question “ why would a merciful and loving God let this happen” .In these few and short words I will try to shed some light towards this question. First let us begin by understanding God is indeed always there for us, but we have to make the choice to let him lead and for us to follow. In Genesis 1; 26 it reads: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. As we read here God gave “man” dominion over the earth, meaning he placed the responsibility of care and governing to mankind. He is there to help us and guild us, but will not interfere with man’s choices. God has given to each person what we call “free will” meaning our choices are what make or break the future, and the consequences of our actions are from the choices we made. We are free to decide what we will, and to govern as we wish. The only thing is, when people find themselves in a hard spot they almost always choose to point fingers at a God they had previously chosen to keep in a box and only let out when he is needed to fix what they have messed up. God can not help or guild us, if mankind chooses to keep him in their little boxes. God must be what we base everything on if we truly want his blessings and protection. If we chose to not hold to the God of creation, but to others, we fall in what is read in John 8; 44 ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
As we read the Bible, it says that we will serve one or the other. We can not serve two masters. How can a people that have chosen to serve not the God of creation, but rather the father of lies expect to simply pull him out of their boxes and for him to immediately save the day .Then put him back in that box when all is done. That simply is not God and is the number one reason why things happen to people. We believe in God and may even go to church, but is he the center of our lives? Or do we love the world and keep him in our little box of tricks. God wants a people that love him and a people that have chosen to declare him their God and seek each day to walk in his guidance. If we walk in “self” thinking we have the answers and just don’t need God all the time, then we fool ourselves, and have placed ourselves as our God. Simply put is he your God, or just your “fix-all”. Could the bad things in our lives have been put there by us? Whether we intended to do it or not perhaps we opened a door we should not have. Keep your eyes on God, and trust in his ways.

Richard A. Kent