Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Why did this happen?

Why don’t those things happen instead?

It can be easy to get trapped in a circle of wondering.

A place where we spin around in an endless cycle of doubt, questions, and more questions.

What can we do about that?

Many philosophies and methods are offered as the answer. All you have to do is this or that and then you’ll find love…peace…and/or a full bank account. These are the sorts of things that they promise. If the thing doesn’t work, it is your fault because you didn’t try hard enough or work enough.

What if the problem is that we think it is all about us and the limited things we can physically do?

The world has been around for a long time and has proven that it can survive without us and all our brilliant ideas. Perhaps this is depressing to some people but shouldn’t that truth be an encouragement?

We aren’t Jesus.

We aren’t the savior of the world, even if we imagine that we are. What are the odds that we will raise ourselves from the dead?

Interestingly, Jesus is recorded as saying that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord Your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind…and to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

So, it isn’t all about us.

There are far greater things than us.

Do we need to know the reasons for everything that happens?

Would we understand the reasons even if we knew them?

What if humility is the key?

What if when we finally turn our gaze away from ourselves…we will see more than we ever imagined?

What if we let those questions go and instead, embraced a peace that passes understanding?

What if all that work to achieve salvation ceased and instead, we simply rested in the hope of salvation?

What if that life that was driven by fear slowed to a walk of faith?

What if this is the answer that we have been looking for?