Insights from a Passionate Christ Follower

Why do bad things happen to good people?… If I’m a Christian, shouldn’t God protect and bless me – automatically?… If God is so good, why does He allow starving children?…  If I’m good – blessing happen, and when I’m not so good – bad stuff happens to me!…

These types of questions and ideas come up a lot in the minds of those that don’t know God and how His kingdom works. They are called “Bar-room theology”… the way people think about and talk about God who hang out in bars or pubs. This is not intended to belittle anyone that has heard these and believes them to be true, but meant to point out that true wisdom comes with proper education.

Some years ago I was self employed as a commercial window cleaner. It was humbling work, but I was happy to do it. We came into a season of problems that began to multiply and build up to the point that we were not going to make it. My work vehicle was broke down, our rent was past due, utilities about to be turned off, no food in the house, and only $23 in our bank account. It had been raining for weeks and I was not able to work as a window cleaner on rainy days… the forecast called for more rain to come. It was a Friday morning as I sat at the breakfast table with my coffee – looking out the window at yet another rainy day…

Just a few years before, I had dealt with such life problems by going out to scam, steal and pawn – but now I was a Christian and my trust was in God, not in my ability to go make stuff happen. The temptation to bail us out by using my old survival patterns was pulling on me. I was questioning why God was allowing this to happen. I was being good… I was going to church… I was treating others fairly… I was trying to be a good Christian!  Isn’t He supposed to take care of us when we are being good?

All of a sudden, I was interrupted with a thought… a reminding thought that God had asked me to give $10 to a radio ministry that had blessed me the month before while listening to a good teaching. I had forgotten to follow through, and now this thought was reminding me to follow through and do it now. But how could we afford it now? I had the money last month, but this month has turned out to be terrible. Then it occurred to me – we are not going to make it the way things are going. The little money that I do have will not take care of even one of our many problems, so why not obey God, give to help others and let God help me.

Jesus said it clearly in Matthew chapter 6 – “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… your Father in heaven knows what you need. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you”  The idea here is to put God first and obey Him, and He will take care of you.  Not just by trying to be good and going to church… by actually seeking Him, getting to know Him and then following His instructions daily.

I knew then what I needed to do! I wrote out a check for $10 to that radio ministry, put it in an envelope and went to mail it. While driving I noticed that it stopped raining… then I saw a break in the clouds, and then some sun rays coming down and a rainbow. It was clearing up. Yeah! I would go to work today and hopefully make enough money to get us through the weekend. No idea how to take care of all the other problems, but one day at a time – my hope for the future was back!

When I came home that evening, my wife met me at the door with tears in her eyes… holding a check in her hand. While I was gone working, without us telling anyone our problems, someone from the church had worked all day to fix my work vehicle – it was ready to go!… someone else had come by and taken my wife to the store telling her that God told them to buy us groceries – our cabinets were now full of food!… someone else had come by and given her this blank check and said God told them to pay our rent and utilities for the month, but they did not know how much – all bills paid!

I suppose one could argue that it was all coincidental, that it was going to happen that day regardless of me being obedient earlier and sowing the $10 offering. But I have learned time and time again, that when I hear His voice and do what He says, especially in helping others or giving offerings… the windows of heaven open up and I become far more blessed than the little I was asked to give and do for others.

Christianity is not about trying to be good and keep all the rules… it is about a living relationship with God, getting to know Him and how His kingdom works… and then following though with His desires. He doesn’t allow bad things to happen – they happen on their own. But He is always there with a plan of redemption and a way of escape for those that know and trust in Him!