"People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire" (Job 5:7, NLT).
"...'I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me'" (Jonah 2:1, NLT).
"For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow" (Lam. 3:33, NLT).
"For He does not afflict willingly
Or grieve the sons of men" (Lam. 3:33, NASB).
Job's friends had the presupposition that he had sinned and deserved his suffering: "My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same" (Job 4:8, NLT). Don't ever assume that people are being punished by God for He is too deep to explain Himself, too wise to make a mistake, and too kind to be cruel. One of Job's friends thought he was even getting less than he deserved; this hurt but it's true in the sense that all of us get less than our sins merit according to Psalm 103:10. Jesus was honest enough to warn of life of trials and tribulations, much less adversity because it builds character and Christlikeness. He didn't exempt Himself from this and our crosses pale in comparison to His. Life is short and full of trouble according to Job 14:1. But we must not become trouble-makers who generate adversity and are difficult to live with.
Some people are firm believers in karma, but this cannot be true because Christ suffered more than anyone and didn't deserve it. Troubles eventually do catch up to us and justice delayed is not justice denied--sometimes God's retribution is in the afterlife. It seems like some people get away with murder but in the end, justice will prevail. The question of why the innocent suffer (and Christ was innocent) or why do bad things happen to good people is basic. There are no innocent people besides Jesus and no good people relatively speaking.
The question should be why do good things happen to bad people? We all have our share of misfortune, adversity, suffering, calamity, trials, bad luck, and tragedy, but the experience is not what happens to you, but in you--it's what you do with the experience, because it's a challenge to grow better, or you will become bitter. The same sun melts the butter, hardens the clay, the same hammer forges steel and breaks glass; however, the rain falls on the just and the unjust and the sun shines on the wicked as well as righteous; it becomes the time to do some soul-searching and find out where your faith is.
I do not like adversity, but it always brings a challenge and opportunity: you can see challenges in each opportunity and opportunities in each challenge. We see good in contrast to evil and people doing good in bad times. We have to orient ourselves to see the positive in events and not to become negative; our attitude is up to us and we choose it. If you have the right attitude you can endure almost anything, with the wrong one you will faint in the day of adversity. Heed the words of the psalmist: "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory" (Psalm 50:15, NLT). Soli Deo Gloria!
"...'I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me'" (Jonah 2:1, NLT).
"For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow" (Lam. 3:33, NLT).
"For He does not afflict willingly
Or grieve the sons of men" (Lam. 3:33, NASB).
Job's friends had the presupposition that he had sinned and deserved his suffering: "My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same" (Job 4:8, NLT). Don't ever assume that people are being punished by God for He is too deep to explain Himself, too wise to make a mistake, and too kind to be cruel. One of Job's friends thought he was even getting less than he deserved; this hurt but it's true in the sense that all of us get less than our sins merit according to Psalm 103:10. Jesus was honest enough to warn of life of trials and tribulations, much less adversity because it builds character and Christlikeness. He didn't exempt Himself from this and our crosses pale in comparison to His. Life is short and full of trouble according to Job 14:1. But we must not become trouble-makers who generate adversity and are difficult to live with.
Some people are firm believers in karma, but this cannot be true because Christ suffered more than anyone and didn't deserve it. Troubles eventually do catch up to us and justice delayed is not justice denied--sometimes God's retribution is in the afterlife. It seems like some people get away with murder but in the end, justice will prevail. The question of why the innocent suffer (and Christ was innocent) or why do bad things happen to good people is basic. There are no innocent people besides Jesus and no good people relatively speaking.
The question should be why do good things happen to bad people? We all have our share of misfortune, adversity, suffering, calamity, trials, bad luck, and tragedy, but the experience is not what happens to you, but in you--it's what you do with the experience, because it's a challenge to grow better, or you will become bitter. The same sun melts the butter, hardens the clay, the same hammer forges steel and breaks glass; however, the rain falls on the just and the unjust and the sun shines on the wicked as well as righteous; it becomes the time to do some soul-searching and find out where your faith is.
I do not like adversity, but it always brings a challenge and opportunity: you can see challenges in each opportunity and opportunities in each challenge. We see good in contrast to evil and people doing good in bad times. We have to orient ourselves to see the positive in events and not to become negative; our attitude is up to us and we choose it. If you have the right attitude you can endure almost anything, with the wrong one you will faint in the day of adversity. Heed the words of the psalmist: "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory" (Psalm 50:15, NLT). Soli Deo Gloria!