Recently, I've had three friends -- strong, faithful, beautiful women -- who have been enduring a phase of life which is beyond merely difficult. I watch, helplessly, as the proverbial "hits just keep coming."
I was thinking, "They don't deserve this." I told one of these ladies that I wasn't sure how she was handling everything with grace and still consistently showing kindness to others. I told her that, although I knew God would never give her more than she could handle, God sure seemed to have a lot of faith in her and I wasn't sure how she was still standing! She laughed and told me that God had timed things so amazingly that she was able to handle things and be there for multiple ailing family members when they most needed her. She had just returned from attending a funeral two days prior for her brother, a funeral she had to plan. (And, on top of all the things she was already juggling, her husband had gone into the hospital that very day for unexpected heart surgery.)
I was talking later that day with another mutual friend, giving him an update on the hospitalization. I told him that I was struggling with how these things happen to such a good person over and over and that similar crisis phases of life were happening to two other friends. I confided that it made me feel a little guilty that my life is going so well, while theirs is so difficult.
He told me I should not feel guilty and then, he said something so very insightful and wise. It was profound. He said that in the case of miracles, that God doesn't do it for the person performing or receiving the miracle, that I should remember that the miracle is for those that witness it, to strengthen THEIR faith.
"MY faith," I thought.
I had a 45-minute drive ahead of me when I hung up the phone and I spent that time rolling that idea over in my mind. Over and over. And I realized that only someone really strong could bear the burden of being an example. Only someone who maintained, no... expanded their faith, during times of tribulation would be chosen by God to do this.
Only such exceptional strength, faith and grace could allow those of us around them to "bear witness." So as difficult as life is for them right now, I believe they are God's chosen.
And that answered an age-old question for me...
Now I know why bad things happen to good people.
