Topic: WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE? Pt 2 – Right From The Heart Daily Devotional by Bryant Wright Ministry 24 March 2021
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“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away… Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it only leads to evil.”
Psalm 37:1-2, 7b-8
March 24, 2021
We saw in Part 1 that God has the power to use any situation for His glory and for good. When bad things happen it’s not the WHY question that should consume our thoughts, but the HOW? How can God be glorified in this situation? How can I encourage, support, and help others while displaying the love of Christ? How can we seek to bring good out of a bad situation? This perspective shift is helpful in reminding us of God’s sovereignty and power, but it leaves unanswered a follow-up question. WHY doesn’t God just do something to stop (the layoff, the heartbreak, the loss of a loved one, the injustice…etc.) in the first place?
God’s response to all these frustrations as written by King David in the Psalms is simply, “Don’t worry.” It can seem almost patronizing in its simplicity: Don’t worry. How can God say, “Don’t fret” about all the evil people in the world who always seem to come out on the winning side? These are the people who avoid any kind of consequences for their actions; they take advantage of others and still manage to make it to the top. And all God says is “Don’t worry about it?” Why would God say that?
The Word of God is reminding us in this Psalm that EVERY person will one day answer to God for their actions. So those who APPEAR to get away with corruption, abuse of power, and all kinds of evil in this life, will face God’s judgment in the end. In the meantime, we are to surrender our anger and frustrations to God. This requires REAL faith.
You see, real faith is not just revealed when life is easy, but, most of all, when it’s hard. It’s about trusting that God remains in control even when tragedy strikes, evil attacks, and suffering occurs. It’s about choosing to trust God for WHO He is and WHAT He’s done, even in the pain and heartache. Are you willing to focus on the question, “HOW to bring good” versus “WHY does God allow it”?
