AMY LARSON
Staff Writer
There are many times in our lives when we ask why. Why did a certain event happen? Why us, why not us? I find myself asking this at times, too.
This past summer was one of those times. I often asked God why, and, in fact, was very angry at God. It was a very tough time for me, a very dark time. Lately, though, through people and experiences, I’ve seen something I’ve never seen before.
Bad things happen to all of us, Christian or not; we can’t escape it. But somehow, God works these things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). I’ve read that verse many times growing up, but it has made new sense to me lately; I’ve been able to read it in a way I haven’t before.
Recently, I was talking with a mentor of mine, bringing him questions about “why bad things happen.” His words were like a blast of light in a dark room. Basically, he said, the bad cultivates the good. (That’s essentially what it says in Romans, too, so why didn’t I get this until now? Not sure.) The way he explained it made it make sense in my mind, and perhaps it will in yours as well.
Why do bad things happen in life? They hurt. They are painful and uncomfortable. But when they are over, we are more grateful for life and a little bit more human for having gone through it. We are able to know a new dimension of God’s grace and love and faithfulness by knowing His presence even in crisis.
When bad things happen to us, we’re able to be more grateful for the good. We’re able to value people more, because we see that life is fragile. We’re able to value time more, because we see it is limited and unpredictable. We’re able to live more fully because we are finally able to see the beauty in life that we had previously taken for granted. In times of crisis and trouble, we’re able to see what we’re really made of. We’re able to reassess our priorities and goals and timelines. We learn about ourselves.
Most of all, it is in times of crisis when we cry out most deeply to God. I am learning to show God I love Him – and not just when it is easy. I want to love God through thick and thin, through tough times and good. I don’t want to be a fair-weather Christian anymore. There are tough and dark times in life, but I am learning that even if I don’t see it, there is always – always – a light at the end of the tunnel.
04-03-2008