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So glad you have found us. We are a nomadic family of 9 travelling Australia with our six daughters, and our one son and forever missing our precious daughter Serenity who went to be with Jesus at 13 hours old on 12 March 2011. Her short life has changed our lives forever! As we travel we perform at shows, festivals and fundraisers with our dogs, help out on farms and also sell handmade woodcraft, dog collars, leads and capes. We are also doTERRA wellness advocates. Follow our joys and trials here.

Saturday, 31 March 2012

Why bad things happen to good people and others!

As most of you know, in March last year we lost our very much loved and wanted baby girl at 13 hours old …

From that time we have wrestled with this question.  Why us?  We have done our best to follow God, why did He take our baby?

People have unhelpfully told us that is was because we were not following God “the right way”!  Man that hurt!  We searched our hearts over those comments!  Couldn’t make sense of them!  As far as we knew we were following God the way He wanted us to.

I have been thinking recently that God sends his rain on the just and the unjust … and he also allows the storms and the tornados too!!

This week, as I was looking through books at a second hand shop I came across “Where is God when it Hurts” by Philip Yancey.  He has some insight into why bad things happen and why it’s NOT because we have sinned and God is punishing us.
“The old testament is replete with reward punishment type of thinking and presents life in terms of this principle: “do good get rewarded, do bad get punished”.  However, I do not believe the principle applies in precisely the same way today….”
“There is a huge difference between the sufferings most of us encounter, and the suffering as punishment described in the old testament. There, punishment follows repeated warnings against specific behaviour.  To be effective, in fact, punishment requires a clear tie to behaviour…. the people of Israel knew why they were being punished; the prophets had warned them in excruciating detail…
“Biblical examples of suffering as punishment tend to fit a pattern, the pain comes after much warning and no one sits around afterward asking, “why?” They know very well why they are suffering.  Does that pattern resemble what happens to most us today? Do we get a direct revelation from God warning us of a coming catastrophe? Does personal suffering come packaged with a clear explanation from God?”
Over the past couple of months, when I’ve finally got back into reading my Bible and slowly working our way out of depression, I have taken great comfort from the book of Job.  Here we have a scene in heaven where the devil approaches God and God asks the devil if he’d thought about Job!  The devil replied that Job was a righteous man only because God had a hedge of protection around him and he couldn’t touch him!  So God removed the hedge of protection and allowed the devil to attack Job.  In one day Job went from being a rich man to having NOTHING!

Had Job sinned? Was God punishing Job?  NO!  Job had not sinned and it was not punishment!  It was showing that Job was righteous not just because God was protecting him, but Job was righteous by choice.  When he lost everything, he did not curse God!  He remained righteous!  After it was all over God blessed Job more than before!

I admit we’ve been angry with God over the death our our little girl.  I admit that I have blamed God! I admit I’m not as righteous as Job! I have asked God’s forgiveness for this and feel a peace about it.

I don’t believe God took our baby!  I don’t believe we had sinned! I don’t believe it was God punishing us!  As I said in a previous post God Absolved our guilt and took our punishment when he died on the cross!  Amen!!

 
When there was only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.
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7 comments:

  1. lisasdream31 March 2012 at 21:22

    I am not very religious (nothing against it mind you) but I do believe that God would not take a babies life...no way. Its not Gods work to take a life that is pure.
    Also think that its not nice for someone to say that it was your fault.
    I have no answers for why it happened, nor do I understand when people leave this world far too soon. I have asked a lot of questions about as we have lost a few of our family (Daves Sister, my Aunty) to cancer. I still dont have any clue why they have left this earth at such a young age. I guess its one of those things - where there are many questions and no answers.
    But I do think its important to find peace within and to let the anger go. At least that is what we have had to do.
    Hope the new book that you found is helping, and that you are able to find a way to heal xxx

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  2. Adamfobeth1 April 2012 at 07:29

    Dear lil sister, thank you for having the courage and vulnerability to share your struggles here. I'm not going to make a glib response, but will say we love you all and keep you in our thoughts. We are always here for you through the good times and the not so good times.
    Talk again soon. Hugs {}

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  3. Lucky Dip Lisa21 April 2012 at 12:17

    Your post really touched my heart.I came here because I am really interested in house buses and the lifestyle. We have 3 kids, a cat and a dog. I admire you living the dream with your family and animals.
    I didn't loose my daughter but I did have one at 27 weeks. She's disabled and her life is hard. I believe in God and this has been one of the things that's tested my faith most. Ironically it's also one of the things I need my faith the most for!
    Best blessing with your journey.

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    Replies
    1. Wheel Education22 April 2012 at 16:57

      Thanks for reading my blog. I can only imagine how your faith has been tested. Praying for strength for you and your family as you live the day to day struggles.

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  4. Madcap22 April 2012 at 07:09

    Hi, I just recently came across your blog. I used to be a Christian and I certainly recognize the "helpful" comments you received around a terrible, heart-breaking event. Of course you didn't do anything that caused your daughter's death. I think it's a basic trait of humans that we look for stories to tell ourselves about why something happened, in order to convince ourselves that it will never happen to *us*, because *we* will always do the "right" things. Unfortunately, it's just not true. We're not in control of all the forces of nature, and sometimes there's nothing we can do (or not do) that will shield us from these heartbreaks. I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'm also so very sorry that you had to absorb the fear and blaming of those unable to deal with those emotions for themselves. You have an admirable family, many blessings to you.

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  5. Anonymous24 October 2012 at 08:07

    Jesus also taught that personal catastrophy is not nececaraly a sign of personal guilt that is greater than that of someome else. eg Luke 13:4,5 'Or those 18 who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them do you think they were more guilty than al the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you no! But unless you repent you too will all perish.' As you rightly said our Jesus took our guilt through his suffering and death on the cross. We need only to turn to him.
    I have personaly found great comfort in that verse in my own journey through physical pain etc.
    Many blessings,
    E

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