Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
- Hebrews 4:14
 
This week we’re going to be looking at one of the toughest “Great Questions” that anyone can ask: “What about all the bad stuff?”
 
The mystery of why bad things happen has troubled humanity from the dawn of time. We sense the un-rightness of bad stuff in our bones. How can a good and powerful God let bad things happen to people he loves?
 
We’re under no illusions that this question can be definitively answered in a series of devotionals or in a small group discussion or in a sermon. This is one we’ll have to come back to over and over again throughout our lives.
 
When bad things happen, we can find our faith shaken. We trust the Lord, but that trust gets tested. And that’s okay.
 
In this week’s passage we’re going to be exploring how Jesus – his life and ministry and love – shapes our engagement with the bad stuff we experience in the world. Our thinking about the bad stuff begins with Jesus. We don’t try to squeeze him in later. And, with him at the center, we discover resources that can help us “hold firmly to the faith we profess” during the hard times.
 
Have you ever wrestled with the “What about all the bad stuff?” question? What thoughts or resources have you found helpful? How has Jesus been a part of that wrestling for you?