Tarleton student leaders claim God is good through all seasons of life

BY BETHANY KILPATRICK

Multimedia Journalist

If you grew up in the Bible Belt, then you have probably heard, “God is good,” your whole life. However, if you turn on the news for five minutes, the world seems anything but good, leaving one wondering why a good God would allow for such bad things to happen.

Tarleton State University students, Hydee Hilburn and Jon Bachle, serve as student leaders through Paradigm Student Ministry and acknowledge the cruelty of this world, but claim it is not a reflection of God’s goodness.

Hilburn is a sophomore nursing major originally from Valley Mills, Texas. She says that her faith is the most important thing in her life. 

Bachle is a senior at Tarleton studying agriculture communications from Poteet, Texas. He says that God is “the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last person I talk to every night.”

Together, the two lead a small group Bible study through Paradigm, better known as a Challenge Group. The co-ed group consists of approximately fifteen Tarleton students who meet weekly in a host home in Stephenville. 

Both prioritize their faith and do not allow trials in life to weaken it.

“I live by my faith,” Hilburn said. “Putting my trust in the one who created me allows me to live at peace when I feel like peace is nowhere to be found.”

She describes who God is to her and the role he plays in her life. 

“God is my father and sustainer of life,” Hilburn said. “He is all-knowing, all-powerful and a loving father who has the best control over my life. Not only is he all of these things, but he is also my provider; the one who gave me life and died for my sins upon the cross.”

She references a passage from the book of Mark in the Bible that speaks of God being the only true goodness. 

Jesus, God in human form, explains this concept to a man who is asking him questions: “‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus asked. ‘Only God is truly good.’” (Mark 10:18).

She believes that all parts of life are working in accordance with a plan larger than the human mind can fathom.

“I am a true believer of ‘Everything happens for a reason,’” Hilburn said. “If it is God’s will to happen, it will happen.”

She explains that trials in life are often to test and grow one’s faith and trust.

“Sometimes it is to teach us a lesson and lead us to the right Christ-like path,” Hilburn said. “I believe that bad things happen to serve God’s purposes, like testing and strengthening our faith, learning obedience and showing us that living for the world is no way to live.”

Hilburn claims that Christians’ reactions to hard times ought to be like Job’s, a man in the Bible whose whole life was turned upside down and chose to remain faithful to the God he served. 

She specifically references Job’s immediate reaction after he suffers much loss, which says, “‘I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!’ In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.” (Job 1:21-22)

Bachle has experienced the pain of suffering a great loss; however, he claims that his faith was strengthened by tragedy and acknowledges his belief that God’s goodness did not waver.

When his world was flipped upside down by losing his best friend, Bachle clung closer to his faith than ever before.

“My best friend, Thomas, his death led me to Christ,” Bachle said. “Even though I did not understand it at the time, I probably would not have found this relationship with Jesus now without that hard time in life when I felt helpless and did not understand the world.”

He believes the same as Hilburn, that there is a greater plan taking place that humans may not always be able to understand.

“I learned that he is a gracious God and to trust in him,” Bachle said. “Everything works out by his time and plan.”

Hilburn says that she chooses to trust God in every season of her life, even when life throws curves at her.

“Even though it is hard sometimes, I live knowing and trusting God will show up instead of only believing and being confident in him when he does or provides something good in my life,” Hilburn said.