Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Lately I have been thinking about how dark, lonely, depressed, afflicted, and desolate people are who do not even try to accept the concept that there is a living God.  I have people ask me, perhaps you do to, "why do bad things happen" or "why do bad things happen to good people." I didn't really know how to respond but this morning I found it.
Psalms 107:33-38
He changes rivers into deserts,
    and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.
³⁴ He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, (yuck!)
    because of the wickedness of those who live there.
³⁵ But he also turns deserts into pools of water,
    the dry land into springs of water.
³⁶ He brings the hungry to settle there
    and to build their cities.
³⁷ They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,
    and harvest their bumper crops.
³⁸ How he blesses them!
    They raise large families there,
    and their herds of livestock
We go through life having good things turn bad because of our behavior.  I know that every parent, unless they are lazy, that have children (or dogs) discipline them. I would wager that even the worst parent disciplines their child for stealing from a store or hitting another child. Why? I believe a parent disciplines to teach a child right from wrong.  God allows for curses to come to individuals to drive the person back to His loving arms.  Now you may say "I was never in His arms in the first place." Well, according to God you were created by his hands and I am sure you were in his arms. But that statement is for another day.
The person who lives without God misses out on a love that is true, kind, consistent, no pre-set agendas, misses his benefits, and looses out on hope and a future.
I ask you today that if you know of someone that is missing out on God, ask the Lord to draw him closer to Himself through their circumstances. If you are someone questioning God and his existence, ask God to reveal himself to you; He will. 

Be encouraged today for someone who is without hope for tomorrow
~Marjorie

For the Brokenhearted

Have you ever felt your heart split right down the middle? I see it on phones, in Hallmark cards, on notes and letters and think it is a cute and sweet cartoon.

However, when your heart in your chest is truly breaking, it's not so sweet or cute. 

Recently I have had to face a few hurts in my life. One of these hurts that I am facing I thought I was over, you know..done with. I forgave the person and went on my merry way; never looking back. However, something changed the skip in my step.  The hurt rose up again and I was more broken than before. 

I was taught to count it all joy when I fall into trials (hurt is no exception) knowing that the testing of my faith produces patients. When I hurt I want the hurt to stop right then, but I know it doesn't.. Sometimes the hurt lingers like a soar thumb.  I am to wait it out in order to allow myself to grow stronger during a time I feel so vulnerable. So where does your strength come from? 

When I was fourteen years old, there was  young man I had deep feelings for. He broke my heart and I thought I heard it break it was so painful. I know it took time for my heart to heal, but I didn't help it heal in a good way, but in a way that caused me to turn from God and towards other men. This definitely wasn't a healthy way to heal. It only caused me more heartache. It took me almost 30 years to figure that out. So now, I have a broken heart again, only this time, I have a partner, whom I adore, to help me walk through this hurt. However, he can't fix it like most men want to fix things. 

So the only thing I know to do is to put ALL of my trust in the Lord, hold on fast for the changes that may be coming, and be willing to be transformed into a new creature. I feel like I am in a straight jacket though and have no control. Oh, wait...I don't, not honestly.  You and I are only in control of our reactions to other people's actions. So here is a shift in my broken heart as I write to you. I can choose to be happy, I can choose to say "I love you my brother/sister." I can look at the happy times instead of the sad times, and I can offer forgiveness and look for the lesson in the pain.  So, how do you handle pain? Do you give it a temporary fix I like I use to? Do you find healthy ways to change your stinking thinking? 

However you choose to handle pain, I hope you will count it all joy also and remember:

Psalm 30:5b

 Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

Marjorie's interpretation is our hurt will last only for a short time but joy will always appear after the tears. 

Have a blessed day and be encouraged!