Who’s to Blame for This Mess?

Every good and perfect gift is from above….James 1:17 (NIV)

I am so excited for you to begin this study! I am tackling one of the most-asked questions people have about God: Why do bad things happen to good people? I think it’s a question most of us have asked at some point in our lives, and I look forward to sharing what the Bible has to say.

No one is immune to difficulties and suffering. In an instant, a sudden tragedy can happen and leave us in a wave of confusion or threaten to shake our faith. When life feels unfair, we can become angry and look for someone or something to blame.

However, in the midst of difficulties, it’s so important to remember that suffering does not come from God. He will use our difficulties to help us grow, mature, and become strong, but He is never the author of our problems (James 1:2-4).

Years ago, when something happened or things didn’t go my way, I would say, “God, don’t you love me anymore?” But as I continued to study His Word in this area, the Lord opened my eyes to His incredible Love for each one of us. God’s Love never wavers. God is Love; it’s not something He does—it’s Who He is (1 John 4:8).

James 1:17 says, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (NIV). God is Good, and everything good comes from Him. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He has Good Plans for our lives…Plans to give us hope and a future. Our enemy, Satan, wants us to doubt that Good Plan. However, when bad things happen, it’s more important than ever to remind ourselves of what God says.

For example, as a young woman, I found out I had breast cancer. Fear immediately struck my heart. As we began to fight the cancer, which included surgery, the Lord instructed me to speak out various things from His Word, over and over again. One of those things is, “God, I know that You love me.”

When life gets difficult, it can shake our faith and even make us doubt what we truly believe. But that’s when it’s more important than ever to believe what the Bible says in Romans 8:38-39:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (NIV).

Maybe you are facing difficulties right now. If so, I want to assure you that God loves you, He is fighting for you, and He will never leave or forsake you—never (Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 13:6). In fact, He not only promises to be with you through the storm, but He will also take the negative circumstances and work them out for your good as you trust Him (Romans 8:28).

In the midst of our problems, and even when we don’t have answers, we can run to God for His help and comfort. One of the greatest things we can ever do during these times is to think and say, “God, I trust You, and I believe You’re going to do something great in the midst of what I’m going through.”

Prayer: “Father, You see every struggle and know every question I have. Thank You for being Good, even when my circumstances are not. In the midst of pain or uncertainty and when life’s not going my way, help me to hold on to You and trust that You are in control. Please help me to understand Your Love today in a greater way than ever before. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”