I often struggle with this question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer and I don’t think I will ever have one. And I know from experience that we as Christians cannot escape the bad and hard things.

That’s why I would rather move on from looking for a reason for hardship to how I should deal with hardship.

I learn a lot from Uncle Gerrit. He wrote to me in response to a story I wrote about a friend whose daughter was going through a very difficult time. He said:

In 1974 I lost my left leg just below the knee because of an accident at work. The Friday before the accident we adopted our daughter.

When I regained consciousness after the operation, I saw that I only had one and half leg left. Many negative thoughts ran through my head and the devil took the gap and pulled me further into the black hole.

Fortunately, with grace from Above, I closed my eyes right there and prayed to my heavenly Father, asking for help, because now I was a cripple – that’s what I thought.

I will never forget my prayer. It went as follows: “Father, give me the strength and grace to accept what is and make the person I was.”

I couldn’t ask for more and all my life it has only gone well with me. Later, we adopted a son. Both my children are grown up and in their 40’s.

Please tell your friend he must tell his daughter never to let go of Jesus’ hand and to keep believing that He will help her. I can guarantee it. He has never let go of me.

I am 73 years old and still going strong. This uncle that she doesn’t know will pray for her.

This is how we tackle hardship – with Jesus. He will give us strength. The Holy Spirit will walk with us and give us wisdom. Then we will even be able to smile when things are hard, because we know Who is our foundation. We know Who will be the wind under our wings. We know Who is our backup and that He is strong enough for any bad thing that we may have to face.

³⁴If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure.

And even in his hardship, Uncle Gerrit offers to pray, because he knows about the support system. And even more, he knows he will get his reward one day and he focuses on that. That’s why many things make sense even when we don’t have an answer to the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Scripture
Hebrews 10:32-39

Reflection
Where are you suffering?
Where can you help others who are suffering?
What do you have to do to smile?

Prayer
Father God, I struggle to smile in the hard times. I struggle to help others. Please forgive me and help me with Your Spirit to look differently at the hardship around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.