"All things come alike to all. One event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good, the clean and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and to him who does not sacrifice."
Ecclesiastes 9:2
A woman said to her pastor, "Things have really been hard on our family recently. We have had financial trouble, sickness and many more problems. What are we doing wrong?" The pastor responded, "What makes you think that you are doing something wrong? Problems and difficulties come to everyone in this life. You may be doing the best that you can, but none of us are exempt from the problems of life." Have you ever had that experience when everything seemed to be going wrong in your life? Right living is no guarantee that we will not have problems. No one is exempt. The writer of Ecclesiastes 9:2 made this clear.
Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote a best-selling book many years ago entitled, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. He concluded that bad things happen to us because God is not in charge over all things. Such teaching contradicts orthodox Judaism. He received much attention, as well as criticism, from Jewish leaders who maintained the sovereignty of God over all things. After reading the book, I really believe that Rabbi Kushner was writing a popular theodicy to justify the goodness of God, considering all the bad things that can happen to us in life. Yet, the conversation continues and the debate is unresolved. One conclusion is certain, bad things sooner or later happen to everyone. Living a righteous life provides no exemption. Consider the life of Jesus. He was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
The Bible makes it clear that God is sovereign. He is also good. When bad things happen to us, we usually don't take time for a theological discussion. Our grief asks one question, "My God, my God, why?" Jesus prayed this prayer in suffering and rejection. Three days after the crucifixion of Christ, God's sovereign goodness prevailed. He lives! The same God is at work in the lives of every believer. God never promises us exemption from problems, pain and suffering. He does promise to bring good out of all. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). When bad things happen, wait for the rest of the story.
Prayer: Father, we worship You as a good God, sovereign over all the circumstances of our lives. When bad things come our way, we look for Your goodness and purpose to be revealed, in Your time for Your glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
