“God allows things to happen for a reason. Whether or not we understand His reasons, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful.”
by Jason Horn
Life is full of triumph but also tragedy. And when tragedy strikes in our lives, or in those of people we love, the question plagues us, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
When you add to that question the often difficult acknowledgement that, as human beings, we are flawed, mortal, and vulnerable, it’s easy to become discouraged, downtrodden, and downright depressed.
For those with faith, we often look to the biblical story of Job. Despite his painful suffering and horrific losses, Job was a man who didn’t lose hope. He knew God was good and chose to trust in Him in the worst of times. When we experience suffering, trust should be our reaction as well.
It is hard to admit that no one is good, in the absolute sense of the word. Whether related to sin, strain in our relationships with one another, or the simple frailties of humanity, such as the failing of our physical bodies, suffering is indeed part of our lives. Living on this earth means finding our way through injustice and seemingly senseless suffering, but our Father provides a way.
When we consider how it is that bad things so often seem to happen to good people, it’s important to remember these four truths:
1 – Bad things may happen to good people in this world, but this world is not the end. For Christians, there is comfort to be found knowing that, one day, human suffering will end and peace—both internal and external—will prevail.
2 – Bad things happen to good people, but God uses those bad things for an ultimate, lasting good. Often, it is only after we have come through tough times that we are able to see God’s good plan in it all.
3 – Bad things equip believers for something more, for something better and different. Those with battle scars can better help those going through similar 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 suffered more than we can imagine. Jesus is no stranger to our pain.
God allows things to happen for a reason. Whether or not we understand His reasons, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often, bad things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. Instead of doubting God’s goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. We walk by faith, not by sight.
