Where was God when.....?
Lately this question has been surrounding me everywhere it seems. I was asked recently by a friend where God was when something bad happened to him. My initial reaction was that God is where he always is. Which now that I think about it is very vague. But recent events in my life, and the fact that I hate giving crap answers, has made me ponder this question even more.
Where is God when bad things happen? Why do bad things happen to good people?
Perhaps what we really want to know is why God if he's loving and we follow him and he has the power to do anything would ever let bad things happen to us. Do we somehow deserve this treatment?
I think we should go back to the beginning of the story. Genesis 3. Most of the time we think of ourselves as wonderful people that try very hard to do the right thing and be a good person. But when we travel back to the story of Adam and Eve we are confronted with the fact that even people who had physically walked and talked with God questioned his authority and ultimately sinned the sin that cursed the whole world.
What we must first remember when questioning why bad things happen to good people is that no one is a "good" person. While we may be significantly better than the person standing behind us in the line at wal-mart, or we may ever be better than the latest pastor who committed some scandal in the church, God doesn't compare us to earthly standards. God measures us according to his standard, which happens to be perfection. Crap. I don't quite make that cut, do you? When God looks at me, he could easily think of the many times I've broken his commands (I've personally broken all of them at least once. Impressive, huh?), or the times I've not trusted his promises, or when I've flat out yelled at him and questioned him. But the point is, that's not what God sees when he looks at me! Because of his grace and love he sees his daughter that he loves so much he sent his son to die for, and he sees a heart longing for his presence dispite the many times I fail to do so.
So we're not good people, back to Genesis 3. (sorry for taking such a long trail away from it.) It seems we're so bad as a species that we can't even make it three chapters into the Bible without screwing something up. (I doubt I would have even made it that long. Props to Adam and Eve.) Anywho, this is where God allows Satan to curse the earth. We will now have pain in labor and will have to work the ground all of our days. (Thanks a lot, Adam and Eve...) Soon after, Cain kills his brother Abel (who was super-righteous btw, probably didn't "deserve" that. Where was God?).
So is it God's fault that bad things happen or is it humanity's fault? We brought in sin and evil into this world. And when God sent his son to die for OUR sins so that we could spend eternity with him (now there's something we don't deserve!) he didn't make it so that followers of him would be granted easy lives, no! all through the Bible it seems that people who truly follow after God have harder lives. Most die, or at least lose everything they had! Kinda makes my little, Why God? question seems silly in comparison. In this life we will have pain, that's just life, it's not God's fault any more than it is our own fault (though we would never want to admit it).
So do I never ask the Where was God? question. Of course I do. I've asked it many times.
Where was God when my brother died? Where was God when my uncle shot himself? And where is God now that my dad has cancer? These are all questions I've asked and am still asking. But I find that God is right there with me. He had pain on this earth too, remember, people (us) kinda crucified him. ouch. God knows what pain feels like, and he knows how to take it away. He gives peace because I know that this world is not my home! Because I know that God is with me and gives me strength and power. Because I know that even when it doesn't feel like it and things get crazy, he loves me so strongly that I can't even comprehend it.
So where was God?
Same place he always is, right there with us.
And unless we push him aside that's where he will remain. He never fails, never changes. I know from personal experience that only God can give peace when bad things happen and things don't make sense.
Just remember, when bad things happen, God didn't make it happen, he allowed it to happen, just like he allows you and I to make any choice we want to: to lean on him or to walk away.
I realize this is not a comprehensive answer and there are a million things more that I need to say to really get to the bottom of the problem of evil. If you're confused by my almost unintelligible writing style (it's ok), feel free to ask me sometime (when we have long enough to actually discuss it), I'd love to chat about it.
Sorry this post was uber-long. Thanks for reading.
Also, prayer request, my dad is beginning treatments really soon so ifyou could keep him and my family in your prayers, I'd greatly appreciate it! Our God is healer, awesome in power, and we can boldly approach his throne!
I love you all!
