General Providence
The question often asked is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
To begin to understand, we also must ask, “Why do good things happen to bad people?”
Most attempts to answer these questions are seen as cop-outs by those struggling with their faith or have no faith at all. Faith is required to accept answers such as, “It’s all in God’s will.” Often such answers help to stoke the fires of anger towards God instead of aiding to preserve and strengthen faith.
Here is my attempt at a slightly different angle to answer these questions:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous…Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matthew 5:43-47
Often people consider the reference to rain in this verse to be a negative. In essence, they interpret the verse to that is reads, “God sends the bad to all people, righteous and unrighteous” I don’t consider this interpretation to be in the spirit of the region, time period, and complete reading of the verse. Note that it also says that God sends the sun along with the rain. A more meaningful reading takes into consideration that both the sun and rain are life giving forces needed by all people. So, the verse should read, “God provides for all people, regardless of their righteousness.” Rain is not a constant occurrence. We know the sun rises and the suns sets, but rain doesn’t follow such a schedule. Sometimes it rains in one location and does not fall in another. Sometimes we will see the unrighteous being provided for and the righteous going without.
Choice does play a role. We can chose to move to regions which receive more rainfall so that we can be in a position to be better provided for. We can place ourselves in situations to take advantage of the provisions of God.
God has provided for all people. Sometimes such provisions seem random, and sometimes taking advantage of these provisions requires making choices. Likewise, the choices of others may affect us as well. God doesn’t allow good things or bad things to happen to anyone. What we see as good or bad are the combination of the laws of creation and the decisions of mankind.
We can not blame God for our circumstances. We can, however, give thanks for what God has provided to all people and the opportunity to take advantage of those provisions to improve our lives. Further, we can seek to aid those whose circumstances lack the provisions we enjoy. We can be the instruments which help to ensure that God’s provisions truly sustain all people around the world.
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