Bad things happen to good people.

There's one question that every person, regardless of race or religion, has asked at some point in their life. Why do bad things happen to good people?

I've been asked this so many times by people who aren't Christian. I've even asked it before. This isn't a simple question, so there isn't a simple answer.

Let's start off with something in psychology called the just-world phenomenon. This is the tendency of people to believe that the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get. It's pretty much "karma." Keep in mind though that this is NOT a Christian concept. God can be the only judge of what is just or unjust.

So how can you determine if something bad has happened to a good person? You can't. We might think that something is bad for us, when really it may have been the best thing that's ever happened to us. As humans, we only see the past and the present. We cannot see the future. Only God can see the future. Just think back to your past when you were stuggling with something that you were able to overcome. AFTER you went through it, I bet you made some sense of it. You probably found some purpose as to why you went through it. Yet you couldn't see the reason during your struggle. It was only afterwards that you were able to see a purpose or a reason. We never know what good things may come out of a bad situation. For example, a very close friend of mine got into a car accident over a year ago. She was the only one wearing a seat belt, and she's the only one who didn't live. She is a good, loving, young woman. Yet why would something like this happen to a person like her? There's no logical answer or anything that can help make sense of the situation. BUT, her family donated her organs and that saved the lives of a few other people.

Look at it this way: You learn to appreciate the good times after you overcome the bad times. You cannot appreciate light without dwelling in darkness. Some of your best and happiest moments in life are going to come after some of your worst and lowest moments. You cannot grow as a person without going through some type of hardship.

^" Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
-Romans 5:3-5

Usually when Christians are going through a trial, one of two things will happen. Either the person loses their faith, or their faith becomes stronger. I hope it's the latter. I look at it as a way of drawing closer to God. Your faith in God cannot grow without being tested. Some things are not possible to get through without relying on God. Even if you are a good person who has had something bad happen to them, rely on God to get you through it.

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9

It's never too late to get your faith back. Even if you've had doubts about how there can be a just & loving God in such a screwed up world. I implore you to look past all of the evil and bad things and to look at the good things. For just a moment, look away from the suffering and focus on the blessings. Pray to have your faith back, or to try and find it again. You have to start somewhere. But start with knowing that despite all of the chaos, dischord, and turmoil in your life, God has been and will always be there for you in times of sorrow and times of joy. All you have to do is look for Him.

^"The righteous person may have many troubles,
   but the LORD delivers him from them all;
He protects all his bones,
   not one of them will be broken. "

Laura Story - Blessings