Why do bad things happen to good people?
That is the ever present question in our world, isn't it? It's something that I hear asked over and over again. When tragedy and sorrow strike, our human nature is to try and make sense of things.
But you can't make sense of evil.
No matter how hard you try.
Yesterday was a tragic day in the little town of Murray where I live.
The morning started out like a typical Saturday morning for us. Emma had to be to the ice rink at 7 am. At 6:45, I was pulling out of our street when I noticed that there were a lot of fire trucks, police cars, and caution tape stretched across the road. They were in front of a house belonging to one of my neighbors. A dear, sweet, elderly woman named Shirley.
This was my thought as I was turning the car around to go the other direction.
"That looks bad. I hope Shirley is ok."
About an hour later, we found out some devastating news.
This sweet woman- one of the nicest you will ever meet- was killed in her home early that morning.
Someone broke into her home and in the process of whatever happened during that horrific time, Shirley sustained life threatening injuries. That person then set her home on fire and took off in her car.
(Click here to view the news segment regarding this event.)
Needless to say, this has rocked our little neighborhood to its knees.
Our hearts are saddened at the thought of what Shirley must have experienced during the last moments of her life.
We can only hope that she had angels surrounding her- helping her the best that they could.
The one thing that gives us comfort, is knowing that she is now home with a loving Father in Heaven. She is with her loved ones who went before her- including the love of her life whom I know, she missed very much.
As I was preparing to write a little bit about Shirley today, I found another disturbing incident that happened in our town yesterday.
Last night, about 8:30- a drunk driver caused an accident that killed a 3 year old little boy.
(Click here to be directed to this story.)
An innocent victim of someones very bad choice.
Now, the suffering begins for the families and friends of both of these innocent victims.
So, I ask the question again.
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why wouldn't a loving God protect those who are innocent or making good choices, from the evil acts of those who are making bad ones?
Both good questions and both are very hard to answer.
I can only answer for myself. I don't claim to have the perfect answer for anything, but I can tell you what the Spirit of the Lord has taught to my heart during this time.
Lesson #1
Everyone is free to choose for themselves how to act. What choices to make. What things to say. How to live their own lives. That is the beauty about God's plan for us. We get to choose. He cannot force us to do anything. Unfortunately sometimes our lives are greatly affected by the horrific choices that others make. When those times happen, we then have a very important choice to make.
We can choose anger, bitterness, revenge, or blaming God.
Or we can choose forgiveness, love, and immersing ourselves in serving others.
It is through those acts of forgiveness, love, and service that our hearts will be healed. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered for all of our pains, sorrows, sins, and afflictions. He will ease the burdens that are almost more than we can bear. But we have to make the choice to let it go and let him heal our broken hearts.
Lesson #2
It doesn't matter how we die- what matters is how we lived.
Ideally? We would have loved for sweet Shirley to have passed away peacefully in her sleep. She lived a full, wonderful life. Had amazing family and friends. Filled her life with goodness.
Instead, her life was taken from her in a horrific manner.
That doesn't change the fact that she lived a beautiful life.
It doesn't change the fact that she returned home to a Father in Heaven who loves her.
It also doesn't change the fact that whomever killed her will also return home to a Father in Heaven who loves him and feels such sorrow for the bad choices that he has made in his life.
We know that everyone who lives on this earth- whether they be good or evil- will return home to our Father in Heaven.
How do I know this?
The prophet, Alma, said this: (Alma 40:11-13)
"...Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
And then it shall come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise,
a state of rest,
a state of peace,
where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil--for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord: for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house--and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil."
We would love for the police to be able to find this man. To arrest him, to punish him according to the laws of the land. But the simple fact is this. Even if he is never found in this life, God knows of his actions and the punishment that he will have to endure when his life here on earth is over, is far worse than any punishment man could ever put upon him.
From these two tragedies, we can take away this knowledge to give us comfort.
Shirley, and this sweet little three year old boy, Zane, are home with their Father in Heaven. They will be missed greatly here on earth, but their families and friends will see them again. There will be great rejoicing when that happens.
For those family and friends who are left here to mourn and grieve-
our broken hearts can be mended through the Savior.
It will be hard- unbearable at times.
But we can be healed, if we choose to turn to the Savior and Let It Go.
(Click here to view the news segment regarding this event.)
Needless to say, this has rocked our little neighborhood to its knees.
Our hearts are saddened at the thought of what Shirley must have experienced during the last moments of her life.
We can only hope that she had angels surrounding her- helping her the best that they could.
The one thing that gives us comfort, is knowing that she is now home with a loving Father in Heaven. She is with her loved ones who went before her- including the love of her life whom I know, she missed very much.
As I was preparing to write a little bit about Shirley today, I found another disturbing incident that happened in our town yesterday.
Last night, about 8:30- a drunk driver caused an accident that killed a 3 year old little boy.
(Click here to be directed to this story.)
An innocent victim of someones very bad choice.
Now, the suffering begins for the families and friends of both of these innocent victims.
So, I ask the question again.
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why wouldn't a loving God protect those who are innocent or making good choices, from the evil acts of those who are making bad ones?
Both good questions and both are very hard to answer.
I can only answer for myself. I don't claim to have the perfect answer for anything, but I can tell you what the Spirit of the Lord has taught to my heart during this time.
Lesson #1
Everyone is free to choose for themselves how to act. What choices to make. What things to say. How to live their own lives. That is the beauty about God's plan for us. We get to choose. He cannot force us to do anything. Unfortunately sometimes our lives are greatly affected by the horrific choices that others make. When those times happen, we then have a very important choice to make.
We can choose anger, bitterness, revenge, or blaming God.
Or we can choose forgiveness, love, and immersing ourselves in serving others.
It is through those acts of forgiveness, love, and service that our hearts will be healed. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered for all of our pains, sorrows, sins, and afflictions. He will ease the burdens that are almost more than we can bear. But we have to make the choice to let it go and let him heal our broken hearts.
Lesson #2
It doesn't matter how we die- what matters is how we lived.
Ideally? We would have loved for sweet Shirley to have passed away peacefully in her sleep. She lived a full, wonderful life. Had amazing family and friends. Filled her life with goodness.
Instead, her life was taken from her in a horrific manner.
That doesn't change the fact that she lived a beautiful life.
It doesn't change the fact that she returned home to a Father in Heaven who loves her.
It also doesn't change the fact that whomever killed her will also return home to a Father in Heaven who loves him and feels such sorrow for the bad choices that he has made in his life.
We know that everyone who lives on this earth- whether they be good or evil- will return home to our Father in Heaven.
How do I know this?
The prophet, Alma, said this: (Alma 40:11-13)
"...Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
And then it shall come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise,
a state of rest,
a state of peace,
where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil--for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord: for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house--and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil."
We would love for the police to be able to find this man. To arrest him, to punish him according to the laws of the land. But the simple fact is this. Even if he is never found in this life, God knows of his actions and the punishment that he will have to endure when his life here on earth is over, is far worse than any punishment man could ever put upon him.
From these two tragedies, we can take away this knowledge to give us comfort.
Shirley, and this sweet little three year old boy, Zane, are home with their Father in Heaven. They will be missed greatly here on earth, but their families and friends will see them again. There will be great rejoicing when that happens.
For those family and friends who are left here to mourn and grieve-
our broken hearts can be mended through the Savior.
It will be hard- unbearable at times.
But we can be healed, if we choose to turn to the Savior and Let It Go.
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