Bad Things for Good People?

July 26th, 2009

Why do bad things happen to good/covenant people? Doesn’t God love His children?

Yes, of course God loves His children. The Lord reminds us in D&C 121, 122, and 123 why afflictions are allowed on good people by our loving and devoted God. From these sections, I can conclude at least six main reasons for them.

  1. Sin — Transgressing God’s law will bring negative consequences.
  2. Experience — Trials bring to our spirits vital experiences through which we learn new things.
  3. Agency — Man has the freedom to choose, and God must allow it, and He cannot forbid it. It was decided upon in the Counsel of Heaven before the world was.
  4. Covenants — The righteous are rewarded for keeping them, and those who falter are offered the way to make it right through trials.
  5. Trust — Trials build a relationship between the Godhead (our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost) and an individual.
  6. To condemn the wicked — Tribulation caused by wicked men who persecute the righteous dominion can then be judged accordingly.

Items 2, 5, and 6 are particularly interesting. Many non-members, or those who are unfamiliar with the Gospel are frustrated or mad at a god that could send destruction and other bad things to righteous or innocent people. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as proclaimed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, answers these types of questions.

What other questions have the teachings, doctrine, and scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answered for you? Or, if you are not a member, what questions might you have?

Posted in LDS Doctrine, Questions Answered, The Church | 3 Comments »

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3 Responses to “Bad Things for Good People?”

  1. Kayla Sharee

    We learned about this in church today!! :)

    July 26th, 2009 at 3:26 PM
  2. Mom

    When I look at these six reasons, I can see the different facets of them…..but I also see where numbers 1, 3, and 4 are strongly influenced (much of the time) by our own agency…by the choices we make. I rather like that.

    July 26th, 2009 at 7:35 PM
  3. Laura

    There was an article in a recent Ensign similar to this, mostly focusing on ones like 2 and 5.
    I’m grateful to understand this, and it is very saddening to me when I hear people negatively question God, live in a woeful state and sincerely believe He has abandoned them.
    Reminds me of a message I saw on a church’s marquee here, it said something like “If you find a distance has grown between you and the Lord, who do you think moved?”

    July 31st, 2009 at 1:35 PM

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