The University of Adversity

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

-- Matthew 6:34

Why does God allow tragedy, suffering and injustice? 

We reason that if he’s all-powerful, he should prevent such adversity. But let’s consider that no one ever promised us a trouble-free life. What’s more, God’s perspective extends beyond our superficial human experience and into the immeasurable wonders of his creation. For example, can we comprehend how an awkward caterpillar gorges on leaves, spins a cocoon around itself and then emerges weeks later as a beautiful butterfly? And how can a tiny acorn grow into a mighty 80-foot oak?

It’s all beyond our understanding, but the principle here is the same. Whether we're going through good times or bad, we must remind ourselves that God's ways aren't our ways. Moreover, our human minds are much too limited to grasp the entirety of his greater purpose.

But we’re not totally in the dark here. God’s word to us — the Bible — gives us

several pointers. One is that we live in an imperfect world where bad things can (and often do) happen. It was when Adam and Eve disobeyed their Creator in the Garden of Eden that Earth’s perfection was spoiled. And it’s only four chapters into Genesis that we read about mankind’s first murder: a cold-blooded encounter between siblings.

Our own poor choices are another source of adversity. For example, if someone chooses to drink too much, gets drunk and then gets behind the wheel, tragedy often follows. But that’s hardly God’s fault. We instead reap the fruits of the foolishness we’ve sown.

These are sobering facts of life, but the good news is that we worship a God who specializes in turning bad into good. Consider someone who gets laid off from their job, only to find a much better one in a different city — with better pay — and in an industry that he or she had never previously considered. If it weren’t for the “tragedy” of unemployment, he or she might have become stuck in a boring, dead-end situation with little future. God (as always) knows best!

God also uses our adversities to discipline and mature us. Are we ever the same after experiencing a major illness or family tragedy? It’s through such crises that we draw closer to him and depend on his help and presence. God can even use our anguish as a witness to others. If you’re a Christ-follower faced with a God-sized situation, where you place your faith speaks volumes to others.

While adversity is a difficult reality of the human experience, we can’t expect a pain-free existence. In fact, Jesus even told his disciples to expect troubles in life. But let’s take comfort that ours is a Big Picture God — One who sees beyond our limited scope to turn even the greatest tragedies into the greater good.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace,” Jesus assures us through John’s gospel. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”