“Why do bad things happen to good people”

I’ve heard that question very often, and always had a cool answer of “I don’t know but I know God is in control.” That answer had always been sufficient for me. For some reason in reading part of Leviticus yesterday, when it came to the Levites killing part of the tribes of Israel after the golden calf, I got really unsettled. Like I legit wondered why God would so this? Doesn’t He love His people? Why would He ever do such a thing?

And then today I was watching Jane Eyre and it talked about “God in His wisdom” making kids orphans. And I had that same twinge.

I’ve since then asked God to forgive me for those unbelief twinges. I know He’s good, I know He loves us all, I know Christ died for us when we were still sinners and even for those who would never love Him. But it’s like... I don’t know...

I guess it’s the first time that I’ve ever had it where I really asked myself that question? Like I knew the answer before I ever asked the question. Does that make any kind of sense? Maybe it’s part of growing up.

I do think there is none who can understand or give reasons why some suffer such horrible things like children in 3rd world countries, except to say it us a fallen world. But that doesn't seem to answer why some are given such a painful portion. I love your heart and agree that we all have questioned that and it is something we learn as we grow. I do trust that He is the God who sees and I feel He cares deeply about all of His creation. Life is hard for us all, but def much harder for some. It is heartbreaking for sure.

Thanks Artsie for sharing this.

Job did not get his answer either. But if you would simply read that book from beginning to end, it might help to know why some things never get answered directly.

I'd like to start by defining 'good people'. What kind of good people are we talking about?

People never ask the question, "Why is God good to both the upright and evil alike?"

Because He is the God of all creation and of everything so asking or understanding is not for us? I clearly need to go back and read Job again. Hmmm...

Matthew 5:44-46 New International Version (NIV)
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

The storms of life can be of multiple different sources. The fall of mankind including the planet experienced disease, decay, and natural disasters. Some events are exactly that. While others could be a spiritual attack or a spiritual intervention. Biblically Satan and his demonic forces was causing trouble including war and disease. Other times events was a judgment of God. Biblically the judgments of God even when first appearances can sometimes seem harsh but what we dont understand is the foreknowledge of God. Often times in scripture a percieved harsh judgment of God is evident later in scripture why God acted or commanded such events. Often times the Israelites didn't fully obey and for centuries they dealt with the aftermath of those people not being judged.

What is good or bad? Is death from a eternal perspective always a bad thing? Is life on Earth always the best option? Good people what is that? As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

Technically without Christ we are all sinners and it wouldn't be unjust for God to judge us. But often times God is very patient. Once saved then technically our deaths will be far greater in the eternal than here on Earth. Paul wished he was with Christ but said it would be currently beneficial for him to stay and help others come to Christ.

Even a childs death due to sickness, we understand that a child who consciously doesn't understand right from wrong is automatically with the Lord. It may pain us on Earth but to them they are automatically in the best place of all.

Logically that sounds amazing but emotionally we struggle with the loss or the absence of a loved one.

God is all loving but also all just. God is all knowledgeable and outside of time making Him see everything from beginning to end. Probably more than we can ever understand. God can probably see the consequences of every choice but can act or not act to prevent or allow those consequences. Often times due to free will, God allows us to come into contact with our consequences. The same for why evil exists. Free will gives people the right to choose good but vice versa they can choose bad.

In a fallin world the bad consequences affect the good. But without that choice we would either be God's slaves or robots. True love involves choice.

I know I said a lot but these questions have led many people away. Wrestle it down, dont let the doubt fester but fight it until you have the answer needed. Research, books, or strict Bible studies but either way dont let this stay in the back of your mind.

Fallen world for sure and Satan being the god of it. Were told to be careful because Satan is a roaring lion seeking whom He may destroy. And .. yes what is "good people"? If its just those that believe follow Christ then.. fallen world.

We've all heard GOD is in control but.. if God is in control He really has it messed up. Now if we use it as its written "“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? "

Demons said have you come to torment us before our time. This is not going to last much longer And we will see how the Father REALLY want it! Praise GOD GLORY TO JESUS!

My belief for why God is good to both the upright and evil alike is because Jesus died for everyone the good and the evil. I think when Jesus comes back it is then that the evil (if they do not accept Jesus) will pay the ultimate price which is being thrown into the lake of fire. Just my belief.

sorry I think I hit the wrong key ):

No one is good, no not one.

I’m so tired of hearing those false words, God never answered Job don’t expect him to answer you when... 🤢 This is the standard answer taught in wishy-washy bible studies across the country and it’s garbage.

I recommend reading Job again with this in mind. Who mentions Job first? God. What does He say? Have you considered my servant Job? The trials begin and for for nearly 38 chapters Job does everything except curse the name of God.

This isn’t fair, why was I born, I wish I was never born, why would he do this to me...

In chapter 38 God answers Job from a whirlwind and what does He say?

2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

He answers Job very clearly with approximately 2 chapters of questions essentially saying, don’t you dare question me or my motives...

The story of Job is an example of God refining by fire. God sees a level of unbelief in Job and he chooses this way to get to it. Why? Perhaps it’s the only thing that could get past Job’s self righteousness nature. Job had religion he didn’t have saving faith. How do we know?

Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

Job didn’t know God, he was simply religious.

Not convinced? Pay attention to the last one who gives counsel to Job, the youngest of the friends that came to visit, Elihu. You’ll notice a similarity in his rebuke to Job and God’s answer. He’s the only one who calls out Job for what he is, an unbeliever. And you’ll also notice Elihu is the only one God does not condemn for false counsel.

Job is an amazing book, a story so helpful to “religious” people today who struggle with unbelief.

Unfortunately most have the story backwards, stating Job is some good example of faith. This is false. Job is an example of the faith we do not want, a superficial faith from religious practice. Faith that ends in death.

Job is one of my favorite books of the bible. He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Interesting case study on faith and persevernace.

Hi Sherry, there is this thought too......

Ezekiel 33
11 ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.’

~Deut
.

The flesh must be crippled in order to depend 100% on Jesus Christ and His Finished Work at Calvary Cross where the victory was won. Most are proclaiming Christ while forsaking the Cross (the Blood of Jesus); This is called spiritual adultery.

The scripture says it like this, "Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character." Psalms 105:19 NLT

Evidently not, as you will see in the book of Job.

God rains on the just and unjust, and both can enjoy the good of this life, their needs and happiness.

Jesus said do not worry about what they can do to the body but can do no more, but fear God and follow Him for He will punish all wrong doing.

All that shall live godly shall suffer persecution.

Concerning children, their angels always behold the face of the Father for the little one, and angels are only sent to those who shall inherit eternal life.

Which Jesus said He came to save the lost, and it is not the Father's will that any of the little ones perish, for until the time of accountability they are innocent.

Bad things can happen to good people even a saint that is led of the Spirit, for Paul was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble, and God said Paul will suffer many things for the kingdom of God's sake, and the Son learned obedience by the things He suffered.

And the lost do not have God's protection for they do not follow Him so they can suffer from the world, and the ways about it with no help from God, although God might help them if He called them and trying to get them to the truth but they have not got there yet.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Co 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings.
2Co 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
2Co 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

It is not a guarantee that we will not have trouble, and the world will have trouble that does not follow God for they do not have His protection.

But it is a spiritual kingdom, and the flesh does not matter for all that matters is being with God, and anybody can cry out to God at any time for the suffering on earth does not stop them from crying out to God.

God may deliver or not deliver a person from suffering but being with God is what matters which anybody can be on God's side, and the flesh is temporary, and children are protected spiritually by their angels and it is not the will that any of the little ones should perish.

And the problems and suffering on earth come from mankind, and not from God so He is not to blame.

As far as the Old Testament if God did not intervene then more people would of been hurt, or killed, or perverted from the truth.

So all God did was for the benefit of people, and He puts down a 1000 people to save 10,000 people, and the people that God went against would of hurt more people, and cause them to be rebellious towards God, which being with God is what really matters, if God did not intervene.

God knows what the actions of a group of people, nation, kingdom will lead to, and they would of hurt more people than the people that God went against, and would pervert people from the truth.

If Israel is rebellious then how can Jesus come from them, which is why John had to prepare the way for Jesus to get them ready.

And if God did not protect Israel she probably would of been wiped out.

That applies to conditions in general.

However, the righteous suffer while the unrighteous enjoy life.
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

I wonder if Lazarus ever got an answer to why he was a beggar full of sores, with dogs coming to lick him.

God had a different understanding of Job's faith than you do.

Job 1:
1) 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.
8) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
21) 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.
22) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

The devil attacked Job, and the devil does not work for God. The devil is God's enemy, not His partner in crime.

This is the typical false narrative of Job pushed through the majority of the local church in the west.

The truth is, God allowed it for the good of Job and not only that, He initiated it. Why? To address a level of unbelief in Job and ultimately to give Job a true saving faith.

Job 1:1 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.

Perfect and upright in the Hebrew.
Perfect/tâm: morally pious, upright.
Upright/yâshâr: righteous.

The scripture isn’t trying to tell us that Job was perfect in the sense we typically think of, it’s merely saying he was super religious, followed the law etc. Job wasn’t the perfect servant of God rather the perfect servant of religion.

When we take a closer look at Jobs family, his wretched wife, his heathen children we are reminded of the typical “Christian” family, perfect in their attendance, volunteering, giving etc. But when times are tough the true nature is revealed, often a nature of unbelief.

I suggest getting a concordance, they’re free to download on your phone. The scripture opens up when you dive into the original languages and you may see the things you’ve been taught aren’t entirely true, or the entire truth.