So this weekend, my cousin was out four-wheeling with some family and a friend, and in a tragic accident, the friend was killed. My cousin walked away with a broken collar-bone, and some other scrapes and bruises. This comes on top of a lot of other family tragedy for this particular family, with something very difficult happening to each of the children over the last 5 years. It’s caused me to reflect, a lot. How is it possible that so much bad can happen to such good people?

Here are my thoughts:

First of all, though some might have their faith in a God diminished by all the bad, I find mine increasing–how on earth can we be expected to get through all this on our own? How could everything just be “bad luck”? I just can’t make myself believe there is no one out there who understands our pain and grief. I think life would be very, very hard indeed if we didn’t have someone out there who comforts us. And as for why He would allow it all to happen? First of all, a lot of stuff is consequences of our own actions–this was an accident that happened because of choices the two kids involved made. God knew it would happen, but we have our agency, which he very rarely, if ever, interferes with. And the things we don’t seem to have control over (like sicknesses and other body ailments)–first of all, they still are probably the consequences of something we did at some point in our life (even if it was just to be exposed to something, or something indirect like that), and second, I think those are the ones that God really gives us to test our strength, but maybe that’s just me. Sometimes (maybe most times?) it doesn’t make sense, and I certainly don’t understand it all, but that is the only reasonable reason I can come up with.

But anyway–how can you believe there is no one out there who understands what is happening to you? someone who believes and knows you can make it through whatever is being dealt your way? I can’t.