Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?
by Matt Hellstrom
Why does God allow suffering? This is the age-old question
of Christians and non-Christians alike, and it's unlikely to
be answered to anyone's satisfaction this side of heaven.
Even though I'm just an ordinary guy, I'd like to take a
stab at it.
Most people want to be able to have money to pay for their
kids college, enough to pay bills and go on vacation once a
year. They want to be happy and not have problems. They want
to have good health. I'm no different than everyone else.
Doesn't it make sense that God would want the same for us? I
don't think He necessarily does, because He wants more than
that for us!
Dr. Larry Crabb is a best-selling author, counselor and
psychologist. He's written many popular books including
"Inside Out", "Finding God", and "The Marriage Builder".
I've read some of his books and liked them, though the ones
I read were really deep and kind of hard to digest.
I read a book by Larry Crabb recently that was quite
different from the other's that I've read by him before.
This book was called "Shattered Dreams - God's Unexpected
Pathway to Joy", and I think it was different because it was
something that Dr. Crabb had personally experienced and very
intimately touched him. The book was much easier to follow,
in my opinion, than the others I had read by him.
In "Shattered Dreams", Dr. Crabb explains that happiness and
joy are not the same thing, and although most of us want
happiness, God actually knows that this isn't the best for
us. We believe that it's important to have plenty of money,
good health, a nice car or house, a happy family, and so
forth.
What God really wants for us is to have joy. While that may
include happiness, it doesn't mean it has to. In fact, the
Bible does say that as we like to give good things to our
children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good
things to those who ask Him! So why doesn't he always give
us those things? It's because sometimes they hinder us from
experiencing the true joy of knowing Him.
However, quite often when we have the happiness, we either
become content or we get so wrapped up in keeping that
happiness intact that we don't see the need to find the time
for that relationship with God. It is in these times that
God might allow some pain to come into our life to draw us
closer to him. It's at these times that many of us tend to
do what we can to minimize that pain, basically because it
hurts!
"Shattered Dreams" encourages us to allow ourselves to feel
that pain, to mourn, and to grieve. It is in the midst of
these trials, and on the other side of them, that we
encounter God, and only then are we able to experience the
true joy that He desires. It is not comfortable or fun, but
it is ultimately the only true path to joy, and in my
opinion, the reason that bad things happen to good people,
and why God allows suffering. - 15668
Matt Hellstrom is a husband and father of five wonderful
adopted children. Check out some tips for
(http://tips-for-parenting.info/) effective parenting skills
that Matt and Julie have learned in the last 15 years. You
can also read his opinion about (http://tinyurl.com/6q9n6x)
why bad things happen to good people. This and other
(http://www.uberarticles.com/?id=334681&b=15668) unique
content 'religion' articles are available with free reprint
rights.
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New Unique Article!
Title: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?
Author: Matt Hellstrom
Email: matt@matthellstrom.com
Keywords: religion,christian,suffering,God,spirituality,self-improvement,family,philosophy,book review,book reviews,beliefs
Word Count: 531
Category: Product Reviews:Book Reviews
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