Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

One of the most godly men who ever lived said, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Can I get an amen? Exegetically and experientially, we know what this verse is talking about. We all have lived out this verse. But for Job, there was a time in his life when things went from bad to worse. Things just began to spiral out of control. The snowball effect took over, and Job became the poster child for bad things happening to good people. Yet we all know there was a divine purpose behind Job’s suffering. God did not let Job suffer needlessly. Why? God had a plan. God doesn’t waste pain, problems, and ultimately His purpose. So, why do bad things happen to good people? The Book of Job gives us four reasons:

First, bad things happen to good people to prove us. What are your motives? Do you serve God simply for who He is, or do you serve God for what you can get from Him? Satan, also called “the accuser of the brethren,” accused Job of serving God only because God prospered him (Job 1:9-12). The Devil inquired, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (Job 1:9). He further claimed, “Remove the hedge from around him and he will curse you to your face. You’ve blessed the work of his hands, and you’ve prospered him. Satan said, stretch out your hand and smite all he has, and I bet he will curse you to your face” (Job 1:8-12). With God’s sovereign permission, Satan was allowed to move on Job, but Satan could not touch him physically...yet (v. 12). So, with four rapid-fire disasters, Satan destroyed Job’s livestock, his servants, and his children. Immediately, one disaster right after the other. It appeared God was punishing Job. After struggling with the catastrophic events of the Sabeans (1:15), the fire of God (1:16), the Chaldeans (v. 17), and the tornado-like winds (v. 19), only the four messengers survived (Job 1:13-19). Would Job still serve God? Would he pass the gut check? The text says, “Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and fell to the ground and worshipped” (Job 1:20). Job still worshipped¹ and announced He was a servant of the Most High God even in the midst of tragedy and hardship. Bad things happen to good people in order to prove us. Job proved His relationship with God was real.

Second, why do bad things happen to good people? Bad things happen to good people to purge us. The purging or purifying process is not always fun. God is shaping us and molding us into His image. Sometimes, He must cut with the sword…His divine scalpel (His Word). This can be painful, yet very profitable in removing the unhealthy things in our life that shouldn’t be there. Other times, God will use biblical sandpaper to smooth over our rough edges. Even Job understood the shaping process, for he said, “He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. 11My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside (Job 23:10-11). The expression “tested” carries the idea that God is purging us in order to purify us. Job used the example of gold. He joyfully claimed, after I’m purified, I shall come forth “as gold,” refined and cleansed. I will be better because of the purifying process. Even in the New Testament, James understood the purging process. He said, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). James knew “testing” was productive. Why? The testing of our faith “produces patience.” God is building up my endurance. God is purging us, preparing us, perfecting and completing us. Sometimes bad things happen to good people because God is purging us.

Third, why do bad things happen to good people? Bad things happen to good people to perfect us. God used suffering in the life of Job to perfect him. Not in the sense of making him sinless, but to mature him as a follower of God. In reality, Job needed some encouragement. He just lost his family, his wealth, his health, and his emotional well-being. Job was at rock bottom. The Scripture says that when Job’s three friends heard of all his adversity, they made an appointment to come and mourn with him. But when they saw Job, they didn’t even recognize him. He was so frail, so sick, so broken. The text says when his friends saw him, “they lifted up their voices and wept.” Job was sitting on the ground (not in a chair or a recliner) but in the dirt. So, his friends sat down on the ground “with him.” For seven days, no one said a single word (Job 2:11-13). Then Job opened his mouth and “cursed the day of his birth” (Job 3:1). Job was in a dark place. He begins to question God, “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb” (Job 3:11)? Job continues to ask a series of “why questions.” But in reality, even if Job knew why, the pain would still be the same. He had no ease, no rest, no peace, just trouble (Job 3:26).

But things got even worse. After seven days, Job’s “friends” felt compelled to share their opinions. So, chapter after chapter, they each evaluate Job. Really, all they did was torture him with their pharisaical judgment. His friend Eliphaz concluded that Job must be living in sin. He even spouts off by saying, “whoever perished being innocent” (Job 4). He even told Job; God is punishing you (Job 5). Job was just looking for some encouragement. He wisely said, “To him who is afflicted, kindness needs to be shown by his friends” (Job 6:14). Yes! I couldn’t agree more. Nonetheless, friend number two, Bildad, takes a shot at Job. Bildad said, Job, all you need to do is repent. Your sons have sinned, and God has cast them away (Job 8:4, 20-22). All that Bildad did was to further inflict Job with emotional pain. Then, friend number three (Zophar) continues to urge Job to repent. But Job says, I haven’t done anything wrong. Zophar called Job an “empty-headed man” and compared him to a “wild donkey” (Job 11:12). Wow! With friends like this, who needs enemies? Job even called his friends, “worthless physicians” and begged them to just be silent and that would be “your wisdom” (Job 13:4). They broke him in pieces with their words and tormented his soul (Job 19:2). Job begged for pity from his friends, but they did NOT extend pity to Job (Job 19:21-22). After all the torment from his friends, after all the suffering, Job mustered enough strength to say, “Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live” (Job 27:5-6). Thankfully, Job did “hold fast” to his integrity and righteousness. God was perfecting Job.

Fourth, why do bad things happen to good people? Bad things happen to good people because God is teaching us to trust Him. Day by day, Job was learning to trust in the Sovereign God of the universe. Theologically, Job knew God was in control even though his life was totally out of control. Job was discouraged. How could he go on trusting the Lord? How did Job really feel? He cried, “When I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then came darkness. My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me. I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help (Job 30:26-28). Job continued trusting God even when no one else would help. With all the faith he could muster, he said, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You” (Job 42:1-2). Sometimes your only choice is to trust God. His shoulders were pressed against the wall. There was no place to turn. Job didn’t choose his affliction, but he chose how he would respond to the affliction. How would Job maneuver through the setbacks? Could Job make a comeback? Do bad things really happen to good people and even make them better people? How does the story end?

God wasn’t finished with Job. And God wasn’t finished molding his friends. In fact, the last chapter of Job tells us God was angry with the opinions of Job’s friends. Furthermore, they were not representing God correctly like Job was (Job 42:7). God “accepted” Job and picked Job back up (v. 9). Fortunately, Job was back. The period of molding and shaping was over for a while. Therefore, the Lord “restored” Job’s losses (v. 10). God turned things around for Job and God even “gave Job twice as much as he had before” (v. 10). Now he receives encouragement from his family. His brothers, his sisters, and even his friends returned to console and comfort Job (v. 11). And now the Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than his beginning (v. 12). So bad things do happen to good people. But why? Because God was molding and shaping His servant in the image of His Son. So, God used pain, suffering, and heartache to teach Job to trust Him. God proved him, purged him, and perfected him, and Job learned to trust in the goodness of God. Instead of getting bitter, Job got better. And when you get better, you flip the script. You STOP asking, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” And you begin asking with great observation, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” There’s a BIG difference, and the answer is AMAZING. Yes! AMAZING GRACE.

^{1 Worshipped ḥā·wā(h) means to publicly declare. See Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Logos Research Systems, Inc.}