Why do bad things happen? This is something I’ve wondered my whole life. For most of my life I’ve believed in God and have been told that he is a good God. I’ve grown up believing a lot of things, but haven’t actually thought about it much myself. For example, if God is good, why would he let bad things happen? Throughout the race, I’ve been really thinking for myself for the first time when it comes to my faith. If I believe in God and believe in the bible, I want to know what it says and actually believe it. On the race, I started reading the bible, and really studying what it says. I started finding out the truth for myself.
God gave us free will, and as a result of that, the world has fallen into sin and brokenness. Bad things happen because we live in a sinful broken world, and we are sinful broken people, not because of God. So why would he let us have free will?! In the beginning of the race, someone explained God’s love to me like this. Most parents hope that their children will love and respect them. However, if that child is programed to love and respect their parents perfectly, it kind of defeats the purpose of love. Love is an action and a choice. If love is forced, it’s not really love at all.
God gives us free will because he wants us to choose to love him. He’s always there fighting for us, but he gives us the choice, otherwise it wouldn’t be love. With free will, inevitably comes sin and brokenness. We are all sinful broken people, who desperately need God’s grace and love. Bad things happen, but God is there, waiting for us to choose him in every situation.
Kintsukurio
(n.) to repair with gold; the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken.
Not only is God there in the midst of our hurt and brokenness, but he wants to use our brokenness as a weapon. Let’s use depression as an example. Say a person was struggling and hopeless for years, and God helped them get out of depression. That gives God glory, and he wants to use that person’s testimony to reach other people that struggle with depression as well. Because of the cracks and brokenness, that person can relate to other people who have depression. This is something I got the privilege to learn about in Malaysia. It was so empowering! Cracks and brokenness make people even more beautiful, and with that, we have the power to impact other people’s lives! I used to have cracks and brokenness that once brought me down and were some of my biggest insecurities. However, instead I can use my brokenness to impact and connect with other people who have struggled with the same things?! SO GOOD. We are more beautiful for having been broken.
