Why Do Bad Things Happen to Those Who Love Jesus? Dr. Michelle Bengtson – Part 3 0f 3

Oh Dear One,

Just the fact that you are asking this question tells me that either you or someone you love is going through a difficult time. I’m sorry for any pain that accompanies such hard times.

Unfortunately, while God created a perfect world free of pain and suffering, the choices Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden introduced suffering into the lives of all humanity. But God gave us free will, and Adam and Eve exercised that free will when they took the bite offered by the enemy. It all goes back to those early choices that were made to listen to the voice of the enemy rather than trusting the voice of God, and we’ve all been paying the price since.

We’d love to think that if we love Jesus, we would be immune to difficulties. But actually, that’s not what we’re told to expect. Jesus actually warned us that we would experience such difficulties:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

No one is immune to bad things happening, but as one who loves Jesus, we can have the assurance that God can and will use not just the good times, but also the bad times for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). That often calms my heart and brings peace to know that even though we will suffer, He will bring good from it. There is purpose in our pain.

In fact, the Word tells us that many good things come out of our problems and trials: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.” (Romans 5:3-5)

So take heart, Dear One. While you may be experiencing bad things happening in your world, good can come from it if you’ll trust it into the hands of our perfect God.