Home
>
Spirituality
>
When Bad Things Happen (Part 1)

When Bad Things Happen (Part 1)

Rabbi Kushner in his book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People," describes how he learned one day that his three year old son would die in his early teens of the rare, but lethal disease called progeria. Progeria is a condition which accelerates the aging process. Medical authorities informed him that his son would never grow beyond three feet in height and would look like an old man while he was still a child. It was this spirit slashing and heart splitting news that prompted the Rabbi to seriously question his faith and God.

Rabbi Kushner could not comprehend how a loving, supposedly merciful and compassionate and just God, could allow such a tragedy to befall him and his loved ones. After all, he considered himself a God-fearing, obedient man who was living a more religiously committed life than most people. So how could a God of justice permit so great an injustice?

The Rabbi does not raise any questions that are alien to the majority of us. We all at one time or another have asked that same deeply felt question Why? Why me Lord? Why my child? Why my husband? Why? Why? Why?

When we hear or read about the thousands of lives lost due to famine, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fire, shipwrecks, plane crashes, wars, riots, terrorism, - we cannot help but wonder Why? Where is justice, where is the fairness, where is God?

Questions about God as a just God always arise when people are called to experience the pain and stress of human suffering. Questions about the dubious meaning of human life amidst intense, and often times irreducible suffering, are not merely abstract theoretical reflections. They are inquiries emerging from the depths of our existence.

The Psalmist asked, "Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" Psalms 10:1

Moses angrily asks God, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." Exodus 5:22-23.

Job inquired," Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?" Job 3:23.

Jeremiah questions, "Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?" Jeremiah 15:18.

The cry of human agony has always been one of helplessness and a lack of understanding. How can we make sense of the power and goodness of God ? if we open our eyes to the terrible presence of radical suffering and evil in the world, and in our own individual lives? And yet, it is in the midst of human misery and misfortune, calamities and crisis that Paul declares rather intransigently, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

We must understand that Paul was not speaking from the philosophic fatalism of his day. His stance was not one of passive resignation. His attitude was not "whatever will be, will be." Paul was totally convinced and wholly convicted that "all things work together for good."

In his letter to the Romans, Paul is not writing about some theological viewpoint or some ideal he internalized while studying under the renowned and scholarly Gamaliel. But rather, he is writing out of the experience of tremendous suffering. Paul's life had not been easy. He was a revolving door prisoner; on at least three different occasions he had been beaten with rods, on five different occasions he had been whipped with 39 stripes each. Once he was stoned. Three times he was shipwrecked and almost drowned. Often he was imperiled by robbers. Many times he was weary, in pain, hungry, thirsty, cold and naked. And, I suspect that Paul experienced even more hardships that are not recorded in scripture.

All of his suffering he accepted for the sake of Jesus Christ. He declares in Philippians 4: 11-13, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

You see, Paul perceives suffering in this world from the perspective of the eternal. In spite of the difficulties he had come through, he could boldly assert, "all things" work together for good." The word all is all inclusive. All things whether good or bad, bright or dark, sweet or bitter, easy or hard, happy or sad, all things work together for good. It does not matter whether we experience prosperity or poverty, health or sickness, calm or storm, comfort or suffering, life or death, because all things are working together for good.

(continued in Part 2)

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit amen ministries: your soul's service station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!

express cleaning service Wilmette ...

In The News:

Lyft rolled out safety upgrades with a new Safety Hub, driver blocking capability and a favorite driver option to give riders more control over their experience.

New research shows Americans increasingly trust AI for wellness guidance over social media, with 63% finding artificial intelligence reliable for health.

Luxury fashion brand Dior experienced a January 2025 data breach affecting customer personal information, and notifications were sent months after the discovery.

The commercial Unitree H1 humanoid robot weighs 104 pounds with 365 pound-feet torque per joint and demonstrates dangerous potential when software glitches occur.

Americans average 10-plus hours online daily, according to recent survey, splitting time between streaming shows on TV and browsing websites on multiple devices.

Boost your smartphone privacy instantly with these security tweaks for iPhone and Android that limit ad tracking, hide notifications and prevent unauthorized access.

Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker help cybercriminals bypass detection systems using machine learning to selectively display scam content to victims.

A new battery recycling technique transforms old lithium-ion batteries into high-performance components that retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles with minimal waste.

Google's Android operating system can warn users about earthquakes before the shaking even begins – and there are ways to do it on your iPhone, too.

Meta's new gesture control wristband might just be the most seamless way to control a computer yet. And no, it doesn't require surgery, a camera, or even a touchscreen. All it needs is your wrist.

Long-haul trucks are now being upgraded with a surprising twist, thanks to California-based startup Revoy. Their electric boost doesn't replace diesel but works alongside it to cut emissions and fuel costs without major disruption.

PayPal and Venmo just rolled out something big: AI-powered scam alerts for Friends and Family payments.

As data centers multiply across the United States, energy demand is increasing at a rapid pace. This has not escaped the notice of large investment firms from Wall Street.

The Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Unicode Standard to ensure emojis work across devices, has announced Unicode 17.0, which includes nine new emojis slated for release this fall, in September 2025.

OpenAI is one of the world's leading AI research labs. Founded in 2015, it's behind some of today's most talked-about tools, including GPT, DALL·E, and ChatGPT.

Ever catch your dog staring at the screen during movie night and wonder if they're actually watching? Turns out, they might be. A new scientific study from Auburn University found that many dogs really do engage with television, and not all pups react the same way.

Stop the scammers from making contact in the first place. They're getting your parents' contact information and much more personal data besides, from somewhere.

The Walker S2 robot from UBTech autonomously exchanges its batteries in just three minutes, allowing continuous operation in car factories operated by BYD, Nio and Zeekr.

The FX Super One electric MPV from Faraday Future offers flexible seating, zero-gravity recliners and an AI system that creates a personal connection between driver and vehicle.

Practical solutions for reducing unwanted charity mail, political texts and email spam by opting out of shared lists, replying "STOP" and using data removal services.

Delta's new AI pricing system eliminates static airfares for personalized rates based on individual data, raising questions about fairness while promising optimized revenue.

AI data centers are straining the power grid across 13 states, contributing to a $9 billion increase in electricity costs, and PJM customers face monthly bill increases of $25 or more.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry as AI-generated bands like The Velvet Sundown earn substantial streaming revenue, prompting lawsuits from major record labels.

Microsoft phishing scams use fake security alerts and links that redirect to credential-stealing pages with warning signs, including urgent language and unusual senders.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

When Bad Things Happen (Part 1)

Spirituality