We usually ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
We ask that because we believe that there are good people. Well, don’t get me wrong, compare to us, there are many good people. Oh, yes, there are way “gooder” people than me, if you know what I mean.
But sometimes we genuinely ask that question in our hearts when we believe that those “good people” are us.
“I kept myself pure! I’ve been a devote follower of Jesus Christ since childhood, serving in my local church in whatever way I can. On the other hand, there are many single women I know in our church who don’t care much about God and His words but these women got married, one by one. And I know none of them were virgins at their weddings. But ME, I am still single even if I kept myself pure to this day. I am 36 and soon to be 40. So, tell me, is it worth for me to trust God from this point on? “
Sure, the question itself touches us to the core of our being but we need to pause and ask: Does God owe anyone anything?
This woman thinks she is good as she compares herself with other women but does that mean God owes her something? Like finding her a husband at the age of 24 or 26?
You see, the wrong/false Bible teachings we expose ourselves to distort our view of God and understanding of the truth of God. So, we start to believe like this:
“If I do this, God will do that; if I do that, God will do this.”
So, in a way we believe that God owes us something when we do something “right.” Notice, I said, “something” because none of us can get it all right ALL THE TIME.
James writes: “We all stumble in many ways.” James 3:2, Period!
But when we give our mind, heart and soul to the truth of God, to the whole counseling of the word of God, something becomes crystal clear to us that God is fully satisfied in His Son, Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can do or not do to make God to love us more or less than what He already loved us through Christ Jesus. Because He loved us, He gave us the ultimate gift, His Son Jesus Christ so we can live forever and ever! What more do we need?
If God says, “Singleness is what I desire for you,” can we demand something else from Him? Can we take Him to court saying, “He owes me something?”
No, we can’t!
You see, God knows what is best for us. We don’t! What we tend to say is what the Israelites said to Samuel: “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” 1 Samuel 8:19-20
Wow! Do you know what they are saying?
They are saying, we don’t want God to be our King. What we want to have is a human king just like other nations around us.
Rejecting who?
Rejecting God!
That is what we usually do, don’t we? We reject God and His ways. We murmur saying, “I know what is best for me? What is best for me is to get married now like everybody else. And You need to do that for me because I did a lot for Your glory.”
Yeah, I don’t know about you but I sometimes caught myself saying similar things to God. How embarrassing especially after reading, knowing and understanding what the Bible says about me:
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we[you] too all formerly lived in the lusts of our[your] flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children[a child] of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us[you], even when we[you] were dead in our[your] transgressions, made us[you] alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us[you] up with Him, and seated us[you] with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us[you] in Christ Jesus. ” Ephesians 2:1-7 NASB (pronouns in brackets are added for the purpose of making points)
Then just imagine me questioning the goodness of God for whatever I don’t have today.
So, my friend, whether you seek marriage, degrees, children, house, car, health, wealth or what have you, all those things fall into “nothingness” box compare to what you and I’ve already received from God in Christ Jesus.
Sure, we pray and let God know what we want and desire. But at the end, it is good for us to end our prayers by saying something like, “Abba, that is my prayer but I don’t know what is best for me. You do! You said, You have a good plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and I believe You. Whatever You said good for me is good for me. I accept that because I know that You are always good for me whether my life looks like other people’s life or not. I do not question Your goodness. You already lavished my life in Christ with blessings I can’t even start to count. So, LORD, thank You!”
Why do we say that?
Well, none of us are good before God. None of us deserve to receive any good thing from God. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NASB
So, my friend, proclaim the goodness of God in your life. God is good to you in and out! The one best way you show your fear of God and honor of God is by praising and thanking Him all the time in all things!
After all, you and I don’t know what is good for us. He does! So, let’s continue trusting Him despite our feelings, emotions, circumstances and situations. God is trustworthy! ///