Is it God's will when bad things happen ?

[rizen1]

Is it God's will when bad things happen ?

I've always heard people say ( In the past I've been guilty ) " God's will be done. Or if it's your will Lord to heal this woman so be it Lord.
When someone dies they say stuff like, it was God's will he's in heaven now.

So vote and tell me, is it God's will and why.

After you vote and post, then watch these videos., Please be honest and vote & post before watching the video. I need honest answers on how you feel on the subject.

Thanks God bless.

http://www.talkjesus.com/streaming-multimedia/31871-stop-blaming-god.html

 

[Ophel]

I believe that it is the result of sin or Satanic tampering when bad things happen. Many things happen that we view as bad also, yet in god's view they are not! Man's judgment is faulty in that regard.

The scripture that comes to mind in this question is this:

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

When you take the whole of scripture into account, you will see that there is a definite law of sowing and reaping in operation in the world. God has given man sovereignty over his own will, and God has set this law in place.

 

[jiggyfly]

What about Jonah's story?

 

[Boanerges]

Just some thoughts:

The Lord is not nearly so limited on His perspective as us. To Him death as we think of it simply does not exist and the things that bear weight are the eternal.
This life is simply a test.
To properly answer your question would be difficult with only the choices you have provided.

God allows people to make choices and there are consequences. Each persons consequences affect others like intermingling ripples in a pond. That is the result of man's sinful nature and ultimately can be traced back to the garden.
Then there are times of testing and trial. Jesus being nailed to the cross, the Apostles being martyred, Job's testing- these were direct results of the Father's will. Each of these souls grew in relationship with the Father until their eyes were fixed firmly on the heavenly. Satan had no place in them and they were just pilgrims awaiting the time they could go home. Ultimately this was a reward and not a punishment.
Then of course there are acts of judgment. These can be terrible but are both always preceded by a warning and a chance to repent for those who still stand afterward.
This list could of course go on- the privilege of being a martyr,etc.
Trying to put the Lord in a box so to speak misses the big picture.
We then must remember that no matter what we go through His love never fails and He works all for our good.

 

[Richie]

I believe that when something happens to us, it depends on the way we attribute it (either it is good or bad). When bad things happen, we call it bad because we feel bad about it, we wonder why it happened, and many thoughts come to our mind.

But the bible reminds us clearly that all things happen for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God teaches us new things everyday, through the easy situations or the tough situations we go through.

All we need to do is to love God and worship Him, like how King David did. King David was a man after God's own heart. Even though he loved God so much, still he fell into temptation and sinned with Bathsheba. God forgave him, but the consequences didn't leave him.

Even if we consider the story of Job, God wanted to teach him many things through his tough situation, even though he was righteous.

God wants us to be more like Him, knowing that our righteousness cannot save us at the day of Judgment, but His mercy and His grace can. He doesn't want us to be self righteous.

Our God is an awesome God, and an awesome Master/Teacher.

 

[LiftedHands]

I believe that god allows bad things to happen, only for the purpose of our good. The Bible tells us to rejoice in trials because of the benefits that they result in.

Some bad things test us, and these tests either strengthen us or show us the areas that we need to work on (with God's help!). If we truly pass the test then it is rae for us to have to go through that same test again. If we do find ourselves in a similar position later on, the likelihood is that we didn't pass the test in the way that God expected us to.

Some bad things happen because, in the end, it will lead to God being given glory. Consider the bad things that happen in the lives of unbelievers that, in the end, lead them to call on god to rescue them, and bring them into salvation. Sometimes this happens in the life of a believer who perhaps needs to rethink his/her walk with God.
consider also Pharoe, who was put on the earth with the sole purpose of causing the Israelites grief, so that God would be able to rescue the Israelites and have that glory, even thousands of years later. And we are still able to learn from all the bad things that the Israelites went through!

But bad things also happen because we live in a world full of sin and free will, where satan dwells and reigns (for now). So sometimes it is simply a case of 'that's life'.

Finally, i believe that we often think things are bad when they are not so bad. I thought it was bad when my grandma died, but she is with God, which is anything but bad. I thought it was bad when my boiler broke and I had no heat or hot water, until I realised how blessed I am to have a roof over my head and water to drink. Now i rejoice in my broken boiler because it is teaching me not to be so spoilt, and to care more about those who go without these things on a long-term basis.

To summarise, I believe that sometimes God makes things happen that we consider to be bad, but God knows that they will be for our good in the long-run.
I also believe that God allows bad things to happen, to give us the opportunity to respond well, and thus grow spiritually; or if we don't respond well, then to learn from it for the next time we have to go through it.
and then there are the things that just happen because there is sin and free will in the world, so we just have to brush ourselves off and pray for the strength and perseverence to deal with those things that are 'just life'.

 

[Boanerges]

God does indeed cause all things to work for the good but not all are what we would call good.
IE- God uses the sickness or death of a family member to draw others into salvation, etc.

 

[RJ]

Absolutely not!
Bad can not coexist with perfection.

Jesus himself said: "all good things come from above". Note, he said all, not some or even most but all.

Many things happen in this life and some have happened Bibilically that many would say that were bad things created by God.

St. Paul said that we only know in part but in God's good and perfect nature there is no bad.

By the way, that's where we are headed!...a place of perfection where bad can not exist!

 

[Veracity]

God is in control. Satan is not.
God is the creator of all things good and evil.
Satan is not.
Bad people do bad things to other people, and God does not stop them. Does that make Him less awesome? No.
What is meant for evil God can turn to good. It really depends on His will in the situation, regardless, His will; will happen.

People are born to die. Some will die old, some will die young, do you think God ever says, "well, I just was not expecting so and so to die today." No. The very hairs on our head are numbered, God knows all, God sees all.

People make bad decisions, and mistakes. We are the ones who change, not God.

Example: John here is a sinner, he drinks, he beats his wife, he is unfaithful, he hates God. John is ran over by a train. Did God kill Him? Did Satan? Did he desreve it?

Redo: John here was a sinner who repented of his many sins, he was under God's grace, he loved God, he was a good husband, etc.
John got ran over by a train. Did God know the day John's time would be up? Do we mourn John the Christian more or less than John the sinner?

For sure John the sinner!! Yet evil thinking people will say he got what he deserved. Then where does the judgment go? People take it out of God's hands.

The only thing Satan can do is trick people, lie to them and try to have them reject God, He cannot change God's will.

 

[rizen1]

Did anyone watch the video ?

I was talking with an atheist, and they ask me " why did God Kill my grandmother ?"

The most common response would be " he didn't kill her " ...but later in the conversation to prove God's control " it was his will "...comes along.

The thought of having that dialogue left me unease. How do I defend God ? Would my answer contradict the loving and just image.

I've studied spiritual warfare and if there's such a thing, wouldn't this explain the bad things that happen. If there's a war going on in the spiritual realm won't we the humans , innocent and guilty get hit by stray bullets from time to time. But Spiritual warfare is a bit advance for an atheist.

There must be a reason why we are told to equip ourselves, for this unseen battle. So far most people equip themselves to debate bible translations, and pagan festivals etc.
What if there is more to what we've been taught.

I know there are consequences and every action has a reaction. But for the man who walked out his house only for a tree to fall in him, is that God's will...or the murder of a child sex slave.

Its hard for me to see God as a puppet master, tugging at strings causing catastrophes to prove a point.

What I really want to know is who decides which bad thing is God's will. The death of Hitler hands down I'll agree with anyone that said his death was God will.

When my grandma died, I thanked God for her live and said I know it's your will. Today 5yrs later looking back I believe when I said it's your will...I was blaming him. Why didn't I see it as a spiritual attack on my family ? Why didn't I gear up and sound the alarm. Well I was taught never question God and all things are God's will. So I accepted it and moved on.


Is saying God's will the Christian way of bandaging something we can not explain or do not understand. Leaving no room for question for the final answer would always be...Gods ways are higher than man..Isaiah 55:9

My answer to this hurting atheist was " No", and I believe your grandma would not want you to blame God or her death, for she loved God. And if she was here it would hurt her to hear the things you say about the God she loves. I also recited every comment posted above.
Inside I didnt feel convinced for some strange reason.

So I'm happy I finally have a belief to examine if it's truth or tradition.

I'm excited and look forward to ALL comments.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

I believe the correct answer is #3 - Maybe. Rermember, God has an objective will and a subjective will. His objective will causes things to happen, while His subjective will allows them to happen.

God allowed the January earthquake in Haiti. Why He did it, we don't know for certain. My own opinion is that it was part of the unexplained natural processes of geographic change that He put in place when He created the universe, processes that He will not tinker with. Job chapter 1 makes it clear that God allowed Satan to torment Job for His good purposes.

These words from Isaiah come to mind: "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Is 55:8-9 NIV).

SLE

SLE

 

[RJ]

I believe the correct answer is #3 - Maybe. Rermember, God has an objective will and a subjective will. His objective will causes things to happen, while His subjective will allows them to happen.

God allowed the January earthquake in Haiti. Why He did it, we don't know for certain. My own opinion is that it was part of the unexplained natural processes of geographic change that He put in place when He created the universe, processes that He will not tinker with. Job chapter 1 makes it clear that God allowed Satan to torment Job for His good purposes.

These words from Isaiah come to mind: "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Is 55:8-9 NIV).

SLE

SLE

Great verse from Isaiah. We'll never know for sure, not in this existence anyway.

I love Paul's statement in 1 COR 13, (paraphrasing):

"When imperfection leaves and perfection comes. Now, we only know in part but then, we will be "Face to Face" and we shall know "Fully", as fully as we are known."

This is our hope! It would be always better to keep focused on our inheritence than explaining what God does or doesn't do in this world, that's impossible for us now.

But, while we are at it: The Bible has historical proof that God can cause bad things to happen, at least in our human perspective, not His.

I think that Christ has changed all that and this is not the case today, at least not until His return!

 

[jennie549]

I don't think He allows bad to happen. The one thing that comes to mind is the story of the garden and how Adam and Eve both ate the fruit from the tree of good and evil, because of Satan and his deception to Eve. God created the garden and everything in it, and then created man and woman and called everything GOOD. I think good has left, so to speak because of our gift (I guess is what you could call it) of freewill. When we were given free will, we could choose what was good and what was bad.
For about a month or two, I was blaming God. He took my mom who had just given her life to Christ only two weeks before she takes her own life. I thought God should have intervened somehow and stopped it. But now, I am accepting the fact that she was in pain, and had been in pain for years and years. I can't do anything except praise Him that she did give her life to Christ two weeks previous, because I know that she is with Him now.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

I can't do anything except praise Him that she did give her life to Christ two weeks previous, because I know that she is with Him now.

I understand your reaction to your mother's death. My son died about half an hour after receiving Christ. I'd been praying for him to be healed of liver disease AND be saved. God chose not to heal him for His own reasons.

If you believe that God does not allow evil, I have to wonder how much study you've done in the Old Testament. For starters, read the first two chapters of Job.

SLE

 

[krys]

I've always heard people say ( In the past I've been guilty ) " God's will be done. Or if it's your will Lord to heal this woman so be it Lord.

Faith begins where the will of God is known and in regards to healing, Jesus never refused to heal anyone, He healed them all. So it is definitely His will for all to healed.

Could sickness be of God? It couldn't be, for when Jesus was healing He was destroying the works of the devil:

1 John 3:8
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.


God delegated certain authorities to His children to help fight the enemy. We live in a fallen world and satan is an opportunist.

1Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

Absolutely not!
Bad can not coexist with perfection.

Jesus himself said: "all good things come from above". Note, he said all, not some or even most but all.

Amen!

 

[SpiritLedEd]

It is wrong for us to assume that "bad things" are never God's will. Read the Book of Job, especially chapters 1, 2 and 42. Yes, God allowed "bad things" to happen to Job, but not for an evil end.

My son died of liver disease in 2007. I'd been praying for David to be saved AND healed for several years. He came to Christ shortly before his death. I was elated that he'd gotten saved but angry that he hadn't been healed. Some time later, during my prayer time, God made it clear to me that my son would have never had a fulfilling, happy life on earth; that he is much better off in Paradise than he ever could have been in this life.

SLE

 

[True Christian]

What about Jonah's story?

That was due to his disobedience, only

 

[True Christian]

God's will, His heart, is to bless His people. He allows things to happen, but does not place bad things upon His people. Now, Job, is an exception, and difficult to understand.

But for unrighteous people, disobedient Christians, etc., yes, bad things can happen, which are God's will, for either punishment or to get someone's attention in hopes that they will repent. More another time....

 

[SpiritLedEd]

God's will, His heart, is to bless His people. He allows things to happen, but does not place bad things upon His people. Now, Job, is an exception, and difficult to understand.

Job is a problem only if you ignore the message of chapters 1 & 2, to wit; that God does allow "bad" things to happen to righteous people, and the message of 42:12 - that God blessed Job in the latter part of his life (after his testing) more than in the first part. Job's testing came at the hands of Satan but, because God is in control of all things, the testing had to have God's approval despite our not understanding why (see Is 55:8-9).

SLE

 

[RJ]

It is wrong for us to assume that "bad things" are never God's will. Read the Book of Job, especially chapters 1, 2 and 42. Yes, God allowed "bad things" to happen to Job, but not for an evil end.

My son died of liver disease in 2007. I'd been praying for David to be saved AND healed for several years. He came to Christ shortly before his death. I was elated that he'd gotten saved but angry that he hadn't been healed. Some time later, during my prayer time, God made it clear to me that my son would have never had a fulfilling, happy life on earth; that he is much better off in Paradise than he ever could have been in this life.

SLE

Again, the Bible tells me that we are now under a new covenant and where the old covenant has been done away with. Job was of the old covenant. We are now under love and grace which replaced the Law.

God is certainly capable of doing anything He wishes but, the war is over, He is not even mad under the New Covenant and He is not in the business of creating bad things or situations.