Children starve in Africa, Los Angeles, and Nampa, Idaho. Individuals suffer from HIV, cancer, and herpes. Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes and falling pianos mangle the fragile bodies of (mostly) innocent victims on a daily basis. And then there’s body odor. Philosophers and talk show hosts alike have accusingly asked, “How can a loving God allow bad things like this to happen?” That is, if they even believe in a loving God.
I think I’ve arrived at a place during my twenty-five-and-a-half wisdom-developing years on this planet where I know why suffering happens. Simply put, life is supposed to beat the hell out of us: it’s supposed to hurt.
Disappointment, dementia and diarrhea all happen to people who (probably) don’t deserve it, as well as those of us who have more than earned our keep of suffering. We can’t avoid these and other excessively unfortunate pitfalls. Horrific events and effects come because some of us deserve them, because we “ho” around, get into things we shouldn’t, and don’t listen to the rules. If you’re going to be dumb, then you had better be tough, as well. On the flip side, we can live life just fine, making minimal mistakes and trying our best only to be shot out of the sky like an unsuspecting mallard in duck season
Perhaps we live in a perpetual human-hunting season, but maybe not. There’s a multifaceted solution to this dilemma. Though I’ll share what I can with you, I can promise that I’m missing other aspects as to “why life sucks.”
Genesis 3:16-17 God decided that a couple of things had to be more difficult due to the fall. . .
John 9:1-3 If everything was perfect, miracles wouldn’t be necessary
John 10:10 Perhaps the notion of open “human-season” wasn’t so far-fetched.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Because God can do more when we’re weak and suffer.
Frankly, if bad things never happened, we’d be like one of those spoiled brats we’ve all taught in Sunday school. We’d talk out of turn, steal other kids’ snacks, be ungrateful, and would need to be beaten.
Understand that one of the biggest challenges in Christianity is balance. It keeps us from being religious as well as keeps us from overdosing on the notion of forgiveness. It also helps us to know that there are good points, as well as bad to life and living.
That said, comment and share your own wisdom as to why bad things happen and keep checking in for why life is AWESOME!!!! (Because I believe that, too)
