Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

He Loves Us Through the Suffering

Life can be hard. Sometimes, it feels overwhelmingly difficult. Jesus, in His love for us, doesn’t shy away from this truth. He tells us plainly that we will face suffering in this life. But this isn’t the end of the story. He has also made an incredible promise: when He returns, those who have submitted to Him as Lord and Savior will receive eternal life with Him, a life free from all suffering.

Why do we suffer now? The answer, though sometimes painful to hear, is rooted in the consequences of sin. We see the effects of this brokenness all around us – in natural disasters, in the hurt inflicted by others, and in the weight of our own wrong choices. Because all people reject God, we live in a world that groans under that rejection.

The prophet Jeremiah understood deep suffering. He wrote the book of Lamentations during a time of intense personal and national crisis. He loved God and walked in obedience, as much as any forgiven sinner can. Yet, he found himself in a horrifying situation – thrown into a muddy well, sinking up to his waist, and left there for a long time. Jeremiah understood more than most: bad things happen to people who are trying to do the right thing.

In the midst of this darkness, Jeremiah didn’t despair completely. Instead, he turned his heart and mind to the character of God. His reflections are captured in these powerful words:

“Remembering my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall. My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:19-23 NKJV)   

Jeremiah recognized that even in his deepest despair, God’s mercies were still at work. They are new every morning, a constant source of hope. He continued:

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” (Lamentations 3:25 NKJV)

God’s goodness is not absent in our suffering; rather, it is present for those who look to Him. Jeremiah also understood a crucial truth about God’s heart:

“For the Lord will not cast off forever. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” (Lamentations 3:31, 33 NKJV)

God doesn’t take pleasure in our pain. In fact, He mourns our suffering. He sees our grief, and He loves us through it. His love is so far reaching that He promises an eternal future, free from all the pain and sorrow we experience now, for those who love Him. This is a gift none of us deserve.

Many philosophies and religions try to offer an escape from suffering in this life. But Jesus loves us enough to tell us the truth: we will face hardship here. The true and ultimate escape from suffering comes on the final day of judgment. Jesus promises that if we simply repent – turning away from our rejection of Him and asking for His forgiveness – He will provide that escape. On that day, He will remove all wickedness and reward those who have believed in Him by faith.

Let us hold onto this promise. Even in the midst of our struggles, we can find hope in the unwavering love of Jesus, who endured suffering for us and promises an eternity where suffering will be no more. He loves us!