Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Everyone wants to be happy. In the United States, our Declaration of Independence states that “…Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…” are “unalienable Rights.” We think that having the “good” things in life will make us happy. When “bad” things happen, and they do happen a lot, we are not happy campers.

Many people believe that they are entitled to have good things. When the unexpected occurs they feel that life is just not fair. Most of us have heard that God is good and loving and we blame Him when things don’t go our way. So why do bad things happen anyway?

Some would say that because bad things happen then God (who is supposed to be good) must not even exist. The church I attended as a child took a different approach. They denied the very existence of anything that was not perfectly good.

The problem lies in our limited human understanding and in how we define the word “good.” We think that anything that causes pain or suffering is bad and that things that make us happy are good. But the truth of the matter is diametrically opposed to this viewpoint.

God defined all of creation including man as “good” in the Book of Genesis. Jesus told the rich young ruler: “Only God is truly good.” (Mark 10:18 – NLT)

The Bible tells us: “No good thing will the LORD withhold from those who do what is right.” (Psalms 84:11) The Apostle Paul writes: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 – NLT)

We have an example of this principle in the Book of Genesis. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Conventional wisdom would say that this was a “bad” thing. But later on, because God was in ultimate control of the circumstances, Joseph was in a position to save the lives of his entire family. Joseph told his brothers “God turned into good what you meant for evil.” (Genesis 50:20 – NLT)

Joseph’s brothers were acting in a sinful, evil manner when they sold him into slavery. The apparent bad thing that happened was the result of their sinful choices. But God was and is able to turn the tables.

The bottom line on this issue is that God is in control. He is, by definition, good. When we accept the “Good News,” the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are “doing right” and are in a position to receive good things from God. Even suffering, pain and things we formerly saw a bad we now understand are being used for our ultimate good as God is shaping our character to be more like that of Jesus Christ.

If we are trusting in ourselves, or in a god that is the figment of our imagination, then we have actually put ourselves under the control of Satan and he is trying to work his evil plan through us.

If we trust in Jesus Christ alone for our eternal life, we have joined God’s Kingdom and we will experience true joy both now and in the future. Our happiness will not depend on circumstances but on our eternal perspective. As Jesus has told us: “The thief's (Satan’s) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10 – NLT)

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