THANKS LIVING WEEK 1: When It Seems There’s Nothing to be Thankful For

It’s easy to say Praise the Lord and be thankful when things are going well, like when we ace the test, when the annual physical turns out well, when we get the raise, when our family is healthy and doing well. It’s not so easy to give thanks when we fail the exam, when the prognosis is not good, when we get fired, when there are struggles on the homefront, and when tragedy strikes.

In sports — I have yet to see a slugger point his finger to the sky after striking out or a quarterback do so after getting sacked.

But here’s the deal: Is God faithful and loving and therefore should be thanked only when favorable circumstances come our way? Do we think God has forgotten about us when bad things happen, or even worse, that God is able to protect us from the bad stuff? Is God our God only when things are going well?

Philosophers and theologians have tried to answer the question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” They tell us that we would not appreciate the goodness of life if we did not experience its dark side. Some discuss how a sovereign God permits evil to occur. Others ponder how humans cause those evils. But here’s a good question: What does the Bible say?