The question has been asked millions of times.
“Why do bad things happen to good people?”
Some, in an attempt to demonstrate their deep understanding of things beyond their comprehension, only make matters worse with their pat answers.
Here’s a classic response: “Well, you know God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.”
Of course He does, but that doesn’t answer the question.
Through the years I’ve pondered that question, and have even asked it a few times. My conclusion?
Life happens.
Sure, I understand this world is a fallen world, that there’s a devil on the loose, and all that.
I get it.
There’s also the spiritual warfare element, the principle of sowing and reaping, and living with the consequences of terrible decisions.
Yes. I get it.
But here’s what I don’t understand about the question.
What makes us think we deserve good things to happen to us?
Are we really THAT good?
Who among us is incapable of thinking evil thoughts?
Who can say they have NEVER done anything wrong?
Who has the gall to stand and refer to themselves as good?
Even Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:19 ESV)
The Apostle Paul, quoting the ancient writings of the Old Testament, wrote, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one’” (Romans 3:10-12 ESV).
And…“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV).
Jeremiah had a word from God regarding the condition of a man’s heart, or soul.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?” (Jeremiah 17:9 AMP)
So you see, maybe the question we should be asking is:
“Why do good things happen to bad people?”
How could God ever love such a wicked person as I?
Why would He be concerned about my life when all He ever got from me was rejection and hatred?
How could such a holy God offer His Son as a ransom for my sin?
Why would He shower my life with good things, even though I’ve lived much of my life focused on my pleasures and wants?
Though it’s beyond comprehension by use of simple reasoning, and we can’t just sit down and figure it out because it doesn’t make “sense”, the answer IS available to those who will seek God by faith.
“Why do good things happen to bad people?”
Love. God’s love.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV)
If it’s good, it’s from God. If it’s from God, it has to be good.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17 ESV)
Jan Grace 