Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?


I’ve heard this question on several occasions during my life. Sometimes it is in reference to a tragedy involving a friend or loved one, other times it may involve your own circumstances. I myself have been guilty of posing the question to my friends and even God. Much like Job’s friends, I too have tried to figure out what sin was in my or another person’s life that was contributing to their grief. (For those of you not familiar with Job or his story, I challenge you to read the Book of Job in the Old Testament of the Bible).

A few days ago, I happened across a radio sermon addressing the subject of why bad things happened to good people. I don’t know who I was listening to, but the message was impactful and made me think how insensitive we are to God’s word.

I hear to tell you that bad things don’t happen to good people. Yes, bad things don’t happen to good people. I know what you’re thinking, “This guy is crazy!”

“What about all the good people that are losing their homes due to the economy?”

“What about the soldiers in Iraq injured in the line of duty?”

“What about the police officer that was killed trying to stop a robbery?”

I’m sure we could all list hundreds of examples of tragic events that happen to apparently good people. We naively label them as good, forgetting what God’s word tells us about mankind.

Romans 3:10 states, “There is no one righteous, not even one.”

Isaiah 64:6 states that “our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”

Job asks in Job 25:4 “How then can a man be righteous before God?”

Romans 3:20 clarifies that we cannot be made righteous through acts or observing the law.

After reading these few of many verses echoing the same message, I feel we should restate our thinking of the posed question. Are bad things happening to good people?