Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

Response

We reside in a world filled with pain and suffering. Everyone is impacted by the harsh realities of life, and the question “why do bad things happen to good people?” stands as one of the most challenging inquiries in theology. As God is sovereign, everything that occurs must have been permitted by Him, if not directly caused by Him. Initially, we must recognize that as human beings, who are neither eternal, infinite, nor omniscient, we cannot anticipate comprehending fully the purposes and methods of God.

The narrative of Job addresses the issue of why God permits unfortunate events to befall good individuals. Job was a righteous man “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”, (Job 1:1), yet he endured trials that were almost unimaginable. God allowed Satan to do anything to Job except take his life, and Satan unleashed his worst. How did Job respond? “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him.”, (Job 13:15). “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” “and said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”, (Job 1:21). Job did not comprehend why God had permitted the events He did, but he recognized God’s goodness and therefore continued to place his trust in Him.Ultimately, that should be our reaction as well.

Why do bad things happen to good people? As challenging as it is to admit, we must remember that there are no “good” people, in the absolute sense of the word. All of us are tainted by and infected with sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). As Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone” «And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. », (Luke 18:19). All of us feel the effects of sin in one way or another. Sometimes it’s our own personal sin; other times, it’s the sins of others. We live in a fallen world, and we experience the effects of the fall. One of those effects is injustice and seemingly senseless suffering.

When wondering why God would allow bad things to happen to good people, it’s also good to consider these four things about the bad things that happen:

1) Bad things may happen to good people in this world, but this world is not the end. Christians have an eternal perspective: “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). We will have a reward someday, and it will be glorious.

2) Bad things happen to good people, but God uses those bad things for an ultimate, lasting good. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” «And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them wWho are the called according to His purpose.” , (Romans 8:28). When Joseph, innocent of wrongdoing, finally emerged from his horrific sufferings, he was able to discern God’s good plan in it all (see Genesis 50:19-21).

3) Bad things happen to good people, but those adversities equip believers for deeper ministry. “Praise be to . . . the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Those with battle scars can better assist those enduring battles.

4) Bad things happen to good people, and the worst things happened to the best Person. Jesus was the only truly Righteous One, yet He endured more suffering than we can fathom. We follow in His footsteps: “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:20-23). Jesus is familiar with our pain.

Romans 5:8 proclaims, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Despite the sinful nature of the people in this world, God still loves us. Jesus loved us enough to die to bear the penalty for our sins “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life.”Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). If we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:16; Romans 10:9), we will be forgiven and assured of an eternal home in heaven. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1).

God allows things to happen for a purpose. Even if we do not comprehend His reasons, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. “Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.” (Psalm 135:3). Often, we experience things that we simply cannot fathom. Instead of questioning God’s goodness, we should choose to trust Him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). We live by faith, not by sight.