Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?
BRD REFLECTION 2025
(Frances Ann Lim from Small Group Ministry)
READ:
Psalm 16 and Luke 3:1-20 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Psalm 16 is a beautiful psalm written by King David praising God as his protector, provider and master. Even though David was a mighty King, he humbled himself before God and acknowledged that it was God who drew the boundary lines and the presence of God was his greatest joy and reward. Verses 5 and 6 caught my attention:
“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”
From Luke 3, I focused on verses 1-20 which tell us about the life of John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus and a prophet chosen by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. From the gospel of Luke I observe that John the Baptist was a man after God’s own heart. He led an exemplary life practising self denial, bravely rebuking the crowds and preaching repentance. He spoke up for social justice and fairness. He was also aware of his calling and did not try to grab the limelight although the people thought he might be the Messiah. He gladly pointed them to Jesus, taking no glory for himself. And he was not afraid to call out the immoral behaviour of Herod the Tetrarch which landed him in jail.
APPLY:
I am deeply grateful to God because like David, I often thank God that He has caused the boundary lines to fall in pleasant places for me too.
I wonder why John the Baptist had such a short life. It’s almost as though when Jesus entered the scene, John left it. We often question God in one way or another as to why awful things happen. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do innocent children die? Why do some nations suffer so much from natural disasters or war?
I will be asking this kind of question in one form or another throughout my life and there will never be an easy answer. Things are sometimes just not the way I want them and it seems like it is all a terrible mistake. I want the delightful inheritance that David talks about, but not to follow Christ into suffering. However, in actual fact, we will all lose everything in life eventually; all our possessions, our youth, our loved ones, our health and finally our life. I have to learn to hold things loosely and remember that God is God and I am not.
DO:
This side of Heaven I cannot know everything but God does. I have to allow God to have control. And I pray for faith to rise, to trust that somewhere in the darkness, there is a lesson to learn or perhaps some unexpected blessing. God, as a loving Father, knows that it is a hard lesson but I have the assurance that whatever else is lost I cannot lose God; He will never leave nor forsake me!
PRAY:
Dear Father, let me never forget that You are my Father and I am Your child. I thank You for the paths that You choose for me and ask for a compassionate heart for others in pain, and humility to accept Your will. Sometimes things happen that seem beyond my ability to cope. But I will always have You; I am not forsaken and You are with me even in the darkest hour. Grant me grace to hold tight to this truth and share it with others who need to hear it. In Jesus’ name.
