WHY do BAD things happen to GOOD people?

When people ask this question it is generally personalized. They want to know why they are suffering, even when they do the right thing. How could something so terrible and painful happen to me?

 

Evil in our world exists. What is alarming is not that it exists, but to the extent that it does. There is widespread suffering in our world. How could a good and loving God exist with so much pain in the world?

 

The following is a rational approach to explain why bad things happen to good people. Remember, when something tragic happens the last thing to do is to read your friend this post. No one needs a verbal justification for what just happened all they need is a shoulder to cry on.

 

1. God did not create suffering......it is a direct result of the curse!

 

God made all of creation and He said that it was good (Genesis 1:31). When Adam and Eve willingly disobeyed God sin entered the world. With sin there is pain, suffering, and death (Genesis 3:14-20). God is not the originator of suffering....humans are!

 

2. God gave mankind the freedom to choose!

 

God does not coerce anyone. He gave us the gift to freely choose. He did this so that we would on our own volition decide to love Him. While we can freely choose to follow God we can also freely choose to disobey Him.

 

3. Suffering helps us realize our need for God!

 

When we are in pain it is instinctive to search for the meaning of that suffering. When we are at our darkest that is when the light of God penetrates the brightest. The consequences of sin help us to realize our need for God.

 

4. For the Christian our suffering is temporary as we look towards eternity!

 

Suffering gives us hope and an anticipation of what the future will hold. The world is groaning under the weight of sin and is seeking to be redeemed (Romans 8:22). We realize that everything God puts in our path is ultimately for our good (Romans 8:28). Christians also understand that the Bible mentions that our suffering is light and temporary compared with the reward of spending eternity with Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:17).

 

It is inevitable that bad things will happen to you, but God will use even the darkest of moments for good. We might not fully understand, but one day we will see the complete picture on the other side of eternity!