Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
You’re in a conversation and someone asks, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” What would you say?
One of the oldest questions in the human experience... asked by people in all times and places throughout history... is why bad things happen. When tsunamis drown cities, or terrorists kill, or a child dies of cancer, we wonder why a good and loving God would allow such horrible events to happen to us.
While there are no easy explanations for any specific incident of evil and suffering, Christianity offers an explanation of reality that is big enough to acknowledge and explain human suffering, while also giving us reason to trust that God is in control and is still good and loving.
The next time someone asks, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” here are three things to remember:
First, to meaningfully talk of “bad things” and “good people” requires that we live in a moral world.
When skeptics and cynics claim that an all-powerful, all-good God would never allow bad things to happen to good people, they are assuming we live in a world where it makes sense to speak of “bad things” and “good people”... a world in which there is such a thing as good and bad, and that humans can know the difference between good and bad.
But what are “bad things” in a world without God, in which death, violence, and natural disasters are just natural parts of an evolutionary process? What are “good people” if human behavior is really no different than animal instinct, within a world in which “survival of the fittest” ultimately determines the future of all living things, and humans have no freedom to act against it?
In other words, a universe without God is not a morally intelligible one.
When we recognize something as “bad,” we are suggesting that whatever happened is not the way it is supposed to be. But if there is no Creator, no design or purpose to the world, then there is no way things ought to be, only how they are. And there is no moral standard to which humans are accountable.
But we do sense the world is a moral place and we have an ability to know when something is bad. If there is no God, that sense is meaningless.
Second, Christianity teaches that bad things are the result of sin.
Christianity acknowledges that often this world “is not the way it’s supposed to be.” Suffering, violence, and acts of evil are deviations from God’s original intention for the world and for people who are created in His image and were tasked with caring for the world.
How did the world get this way? The Bible’s answer is that when the first humans used their God-given freedom to disobey God, the world was plunged into moral and natural chaos.
So, in an ultimate sense, bad things happen in the world because of people. We live in a world that is deeply marred by human sin and in which people, who are deeply marred by sin, often make bad choices that continue to harm the world and each other.
Many wonder why God would ever allow humans to ruin His creation... Why doesn’t He prevent them from committing acts of evil against each other? Why doesn’t He just put a stop to all the bad things in the world?
These are all very good questions, and there are answers that are plausible... for example, God wished to create creatures who were not forced to obey but would choose to love Him and others freely. God wanted humans and not robots. And to rid the world of the evil humans caused would be to rid the world of humans.
As C.S. Lewis wrote, the gift of freedom makes evil possible, but it “is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.” God apparently thought this “a price worth paying.”
Not everyone finds the Christian explanation of evil and suffering satisfying, especially in the face of personal suffering. But, unlike atheism, Christianity has an explanation to offer. Even more, God offers Himself to those who suffer.
Third and most importantly, God’s final answer to sin and suffering is Jesus Christ.
The sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, was a truly “good person” who suffered evil and injustice. In other words, God experienced what it’s like to live in this fallen world, to suffer injustice, to weep by the grave of a friend, and to be abandoned by those closest to him, even to be abandoned by God as He bled and suffocated to death. He experienced it all and can say to anyone who has endured evil or suffering: “I feel your pain.”
God did not abandon us in this fallen world of sin and suffering. The central teaching of Christianity is that in the person of Jesus Christ, God entered the world He made, shared in the suffering of those He made in His image, bore the weight of our sin and guilt, to reconciled us to God and, one day, to restore all things. Rather than exempting Himself from the evil humans caused, Jesus took it on the cross, tortured to death, but ultimately defeating it by rising from the dead three days later.
In other words, the answer to the anguished human question, why doesn’t God just do something is, He did. And no other religion or explanation of reality offers what Jesus has done.
As the theologian Edward Shilito described, after witnessing the horrors of World War I:
The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.
Though Christianity does not offer an explanation for every particular act of evil or experience of suffering, it explains why should hate and grieve these things, while also knowing that God hates and grieves them more... so much so that He acted. And Scripture promises that Jesus, who shared in our suffering, will one day wipe away every tear from our eyes.
So, the next time someone asks, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” remember these three things:
First, to meaningfully talk of “bad things” and “good people” requires that we live in a moral world.
Second, Christianity teaches that bad things are the result of sin.
Third and most importantly, God’s final answer to sin and suffering is Jesus Christ.
Written By: Colson Center
When “why” has no answer
Our faith is in the God of all creation, the God who is love (1 John 4:8). His will is sovereign, and according to Ephesians 1:11, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” So then, if all things occur according to the counsel of his will, why did our perfect God allow the river to rise and people to perish?
What do we do when our “why” questions have no answers? The only solution I’ve ever settled on is this: When we can’t understand God’s sovereign will, we can pray for the strength and wisdom to accept it. That is the prayer that God will answer.
Joni Eareckson Tada was severely injured as a teenager in a freak diving accident, and she never walked again. Her journey with God has been unique, making her words all the more profound. She said, “Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well.”
Why do we feel grief for these we don’t know?
At church on Sunday, many spoke about their heavy hearts and the tears they had shed over the news of the flood victims. Christians in the state of Texas and around our country are grieving. Why does the loss of so many innocent men, women, and children cause our hearts to break? Most of the people were strangers, although almost everyone in Texas had a connection to someone whose life was impacted by the flood.
I was listening to the news when they said, “A Christian camp,” and I realized why my feelings were actually grief, rather than just sadness and concern. Those at Camp Mystic and many others who died were our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and that spiritual relationship explains our grief. We are God’s family, and we need to remember that the Lord grieves the pain of his children, too.
First-century Christians believed Christ’s return would be imminent. When some began to die before Christ returned, Paul addressed their doubts, saying, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as the others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Christians grieve with hope. But we also need to remember that hope is not the same thing as healing.
Why is hope not healing?
I read a friend’s post about the flood on Facebook. This friend lost her husband to suicide and later lost her daughter in that same way. She is a strong Christian but has experienced the depths of grief more than most people ever will. I wanted to share her words with all of you because while our lives were impacted by grief, there are many whose lives have been changed forever. How can we help people who lose a person they love, especially a child? My friend answered that question well, saying:
Everything has changed for the parents of the lost children. They will need gentle loving compassion for the rest of their lives. They need us to remember their child’s name and to speak of them often. They need the grace to heal in their way and their time. Remember, grocery shopping will be a nightmare as they see all the things their little one ate, maybe ask if you can do that for them for a while; church will be both comforting and painful, they will struggle with the life-long concept that their child is gone, and even though they know she’s in Heaven, they want their child here with them much more; the 4th of July will take on a new meaning for the parents, while the rest of the country celebrates, they will mourn. The best thing you can say to the parents is, I cannot imagine what you are going through. Because it is true and validating. Yes, God is close to the broken-hearted; it’s a good thing because otherwise the loneliness and grief would be too much.
As Christians, we should take a moment to pray and ask God to give us a heightened sensitivity to everyone we know who has ever lost a child. We watched a horrific tragedy on our television sets. Those friends re-lived their grief because it will always be part of their lives. All around us today are people who will need to receive our compassion and, once again, choose to trust God’s hope one more time. We need to be careful not to “move on” or move away from the people who will return to their grief for the rest of their lives.
Why do we need to act on our grief now?
Grief for others is a powerful motivator that draws us nearer to God with a compassionate desire to serve. We are also fallen human beings. Chances are, when the news speaks of the floods less often, we will think of the flood victims less often as well. The time to act is right now, as God prompts us, not when we plan to get around to it.
Remember, every news story can prompt us to pray. Pray as you watch the story, listen to the victims speak, and hear about their needs. Don’t wait to add it to your prayers later on because those prayers often don’t happen.
Pray for everyone to be found. Their families just want them back, even if it is just to make plans for their burial.
Pray for the hearts and minds of the first responders. One man serving as a search team diver said, “It’s always hard. No one I ever search for under the water is still alive.”
Give to the organizations that provide relief efforts for these tragic situations. My husband and I like to give to Texans on Mission because, in addition to their amazing ability to serve physical needs, they also give Jesus to meet spiritual needs.
Pray for God’s Spirit to author your words and fill your life. There will be many conversations about this flood, and it’s natural for people to want to blame other people. It’s more comforting to find blame in others than admit we live in a fallen world we can’t control. You know Jesus, and you received the power of his Holy Spirit when you made him your Lord. Do not underestimate his ability to author your words and your character, and use your knowledge of his word to bring light and hope into a conversation. Speak when Jesus wants to speak through you, and others will hear his wisdom in your words.
Pray not to “grow weary in well doing.” Christians are the light of the world, and dark days are redeemed when his light in us draws others to seek Christ. We can be kind, loving, patient, and giving. And then we can be all of those things again and again.
The “why” has no answer, but our witness will speak volumes
Paul said, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). Work hard this week to bring Jesus into the difficult conversations. Let your love and patience stand out like a light in a dark room. Allow the Spirit of Christ to guide your path. Let’s all do without something to give that money to those who need it the most. Even the widow’s mite works wonders with God’s blessings. And let’s pray without ceasing for those whose pain will never cease here on earth.
I don’t know why God our Father allowed such a flood. I do know that he has promised to redeem the pain if his children will be called to his purpose (Romans 8:28). How will you follow his calling and seek his redemption this week?
Written By: Janet Denison
Choose the flesh or the Spirit
We often hear people say that everyone must serve something, so to choose wisely. As Christians we believe that people only have two options, one must either serve their flesh or the Spirit. This is laid out clearly in Scripture and specifically in Romans 8. In verses 7-8 Paul (the author of Romans) explains the detriment that accompanies following your flesh. If someone chooses to submit to themselves (flesh) over the Spirit (God), then they are “hostile to God” and “cannot please God.” What should we take away from these striking words?
First, this exhortation to choose God over self should empower us. Let us flip the warnings into what will happen if we follow God. We will be friends with God and please Him. Wow! We have the choice to either turn our backs and disregard God, His law, and His friendship, or we can become friends with the Creator of the Universe.
Second, choosing the flesh only brings temporary pleasure. Flesh is mortal and finite. There is only so much one can do as a human and it is quite limited. However, God is powerful and endless. He was and is and will be forevermore. If we submit to the Spirit, we are choosing to align ourselves with the most powerful, eternal being that will ever exist. Practically this seems to be a better long-term plan.
Lastly, most things from the flesh are confusing, deceptive, and isolating. Even the things that seem to be harmless will end and stop giving life (i.e. deceptive). For instance, nutrition. You could choose to make nutrition your number one goal and submit yourself fully to pursuing your health and nutrition. This is not innately bad. However, when you are 85, regardless of the hours you spent training and feeding your body, you will near death and see your abilities decline. Nutrition can take you far in life, but is it worth your everything? Eventually it will fail. It cannot go on forever. Paul would argue no. He would suggest instead that you lay down to God first. In turn, God will ask you to pursue a healthy lifestyle body, mind, and soul. God made you and therefore knows that nutrition is important. He also knows that pursuing Him first is better. Following the Spirit is clear and without secret, lies, or confusion. When you submit to the Spirit, you submit to God. His ways become your ways.
Overall, it seems the most positive and clear choice is submitting to the Spirit. But the beauty of choosing the Spirit is that it is a choice. Everyone can say yes or no to the Spirit of God. He will not force Himself on you. He will offer His hand and allow you to say yes. God is a gentleman and quietly pursues His beloved children.
Written By: Elizabeth Keith
Romans 8: It is the thought that counts
Last Sunday was my birthday and Jim planned a special trip out of town for the occasion. The destination was a surprise – in many ways! We headed east on an older highway because it would be easier to enjoy the fall color. It was a beautiful trip through East Texas and we arrived at a Bed and Breakfast in Jefferson, Texas. Jefferson has a wonderful history and many homes dating back to the Civil War. Our Bed and Breakfast wasn’t quite that old, but it was pretty close. Let’s just say that the “four-star” rating may have been somewhat optimistic. The four star review also failed to mention the frequency of the trains that come through Jefferson, announcing their presence with a very loud whistle. We cut our trip short by one night because we both needed to come home and get some sleep! Jim, however, didn’t want us to miss out on the restaurant he had discovered on the internet, so we went there before coming home. He said it was famous and explained that it was located right on the river so we could enjoy the view as we ate. We did enjoy the view – from our picnic table on the porch – as we swatted at an assortment of flying insects dive bombing the food. We also struggled not to inhale too much of the smoke from the large crowd of bikers that had come to eat and enjoy the restaurant as well. The picture attached to this blog post is the parking lot of that famous riverfront restaurant. Suffice it to say…it wasn’t exactly the special birthday weekend Jim had hoped to give me. And I loved it. He and I laughed, enjoyed ourselves and made some fun memories last weekend. I’m sure we will enjoy those memories for all the years to come. Jim put a lot of thought into the weekend – and it truly is the thought that counts most! And it is our thoughts that count the most to God as well.
I loved reading the comments from my last blog post. I have a thinking, passionate group of readers – and I am honored to share this blog with you. It is a good thing to ponder, discuss and help each other to be more discerning about the way we walk through our lives. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” There was a lot of wisdom in those comments, and a lot of things to think about.
Our thoughts count, especially to God, who knows each one. How many times do you think about God each day? Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” One of the best things we can do with our thoughts and our minds is trust them to the God of the universe. How many times a day do our thoughts tell God that we love and trust his perfection? He knows the answer to that question. God told Jeremiah, “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10). Perfect peace is God’s perfect reward.
Our thoughts will never be perfect. In fact, according to Psalm 94:11, God knows that the thoughts of man are often futile. But Romans 8:6 assures us that the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. There are a lot of things to think about each day, none more important than the greatness of God. Does his Spirit control your thoughts? If so, then you have joy in your salvation and peace for the road of life that is headed towards eternity. Not every experience will be “four-star” and the view isn’t always what we planned it to be. We aren’t in heaven yet. But every time we turn our thoughts toward God, we can find his perfect peace. It really is the thought that counts!
Written By: Janet Denison
Romans 8: Spirit of Life
It is a Thursday afternoon, and you are driving home in rush hour. Someone swerves nearly hitting your car and cuts you off. Before you have time to realize what you are doing, you yell out a curse word and wish hateful things on that person. Bam. One small instant, and you are no longer holy. Heaven requires holiness and holiness requires perfection. In that small moment of anger, you became unholy and unworthy of Heaven. Or did you? This is what Romans 8 is all about and especially verses 3 and 4.
The law of God tells us to never mess up- to remain holy always. It demands perfect love, constant obedience, and unwavering faithfulness. The reality of humanity is that this is impossible to everyone except one – Jesus. We cannot, could not, would not ever live up to the requirements God needs from us to make our way to Heaven. So, He made a way for us. Jesus came to earth and died after living a perfect life so that He would be the perfect offering for us. His death paved the way to our freedom.
When Jesus took our sin to the cross and rose from the dead, He gave us the ability to live by the Spirit of Life. He broke the chains of the flesh that held us to our sin and gave us a path to holiness. His payment, His death, His sacrifice means that when we mess up past, present and future, our fate does not change. If we accept His salvation, we are Holy by His blood and can go to Heaven.
So, as we think about Romans 8:3-4, “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,” let us strive to honor Jesus. He gave His life so we may live. What can we do for Him? We owe Him nothing for this gift; and yet, it seems we should still try to give Him everything.
Written By: Elizabeth Keith