And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
This week I experienced a reminder of the saying “bad things happen to good people.” My sister and her husband lost their home and all their belongings in a terrible fire. It is very easy during times like this to ask, “Why?”
During my many years of pastoring I had many congregants ask me, “Pastor, why did this happen to me?” It is difficult to answer a “why” question when you do not know the answer. I do know this- good and bad things happen to all people. No one is exempt. This is very obvious in the following verse:
That you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).
Wouldn’t you agree- the sun can be pleasantly warm or oppressively hot? The rain can be a gentle rain that brings growth to crops or it can be heavy and flood-producing. It is for sure- the sun and the rain affects everyone. The tests and trials of life do likewise.
Perhaps we can draw rather simple conclusions from all of this. On this side of Heaven, we will never have all the answers. On the other hand, when we get to Heaven, the answers will not matter. Then we will truly know- all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 
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