Why does bad stuff happen? Why, God?

I have a rather flippant answer for why does bad stuff happen. I don't mean for it to be flippant but I'm certain it sounds that way. However, I get the answer straight from the Bible.

Here is the answer: to know God, really KNOW God.

Many places in the Bible, things happen that are not "good" by our standards. Job lost his wealth and if that wasn't bad enough, he lost his children too. There was nothing (apparently) good about the situation. However, because of his great loss, he was able to gain strength in his knowledge of who God is and in his own trust in a good God.

As early as Exodus 4:5, God states His reasons for doing something. "This", said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers -.....has appeared to you."
In Exodus 8:10, God, through Moses says "It will be as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God."
Deuteronomy 4:35 states that "You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other."

There a many, many other examples of scripture explaining why God does the things He does or allows the things He allows. We know that satan roams around the earth looking for someone to devour (Job 1:7 and 1 Peter 5:8) We know from Job that satan had to ask for permission to touch Job's family and wealth. Also from Job, we know that God told Satan to look at Job. See verse 8. If we believe that God is a good God, this is a perfect time to question, why call Satan's attention to Job?

My thoughts: 1) Satan has to ask permission to bother or otherwise hurt us. So we understand that God has ultimate control/power to make things happen or stop things from happening. This is comforting to me. Because "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
2) God is good, all the time. I recognize this because of the many, many ways He has shown His love....the biggest example, of course, is the death and resurrection of Jesus to pay for all sin so we can be with God for eternity.
3) If God is good, and if satan has to get permission, God must have some plan or purpose for whatever a person goes through. Someone will be blessed; someone will be called into God's fellowship; someone will grow toward God, etc.

Perhaps the bad thing is to take focus off self or whatever the person is focused on toward God.
Perhaps it is to get the person to more fully count on God for everything, to build trust.
Perhaps it is to test the person so that he or she learns that "I can get through it with God's help and that He is ready and willing to help me get through it". (See Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.)
Perhaps it is to make the witness for God stronger - more powerful, more fruitful, more effective for those in that circle of influence.
Perhaps it is to draw attention to God through the reactions /responses of the person going through what a person goes through, causing others to understand a bit more about God.

I know the answer seems unsatisfactory that God allows bad things to happen. But God knows each of us individually. It is in this knowledge that God permits testing and temptation and hardship. He will use this testing and temptation to make our knowledge of Him grow. We learn of God's love, God's generosity, God's comfort (we can't be comforted unless we mourn!), God's peace, God's justice. "Bad" things have to happen for us to appreciate the depth of God and His love and sufficiency for us.

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