The question of why bad things happen to good people is often troubling, and most people have wondered about it at some point. First of all, we should acknowledge why we ask this question at all. It points to the fact that most of us believe that there is a moral difference between right and wrong or good and evil, and that there is a purpose in the universe beyond ourselves, which operates by these principles. It’s because we inherently believe that there is a God who is good that makes this question difficult. When we are the ones the bad things are happening to, it makes the problem even more difficult.

First of all, we need to realize that this world is not what God intended it to be, but rather what men have made of it. God’s plan for this world was for rightness and good, not for the evil and suffering that we have brought into it. Even so, He operates with patience and forbearance, not forcing His will on us, but allowing us to make our own choices.

That’s why a lot of bad things happen, because some people do wrong things to others. Bad things can also occur because the world has turned away from God. Over time, much disease, decay and calamity have come about because of these choices. Many people suffer today, not because of their own choices, but because of circumstances caused by generations of poor living. We need to understand that many hardships are caused by the world we’ve created, not by direct acts of God.