If GOD Is Good, Then Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Let’s Talk About It Series - Part 2
There’s a moment in every believer’s journey when life feels unbearably heavy. A diagnosis changes everything. A loved one is gone “too soon.” Injustice goes unpunished. Tragedy strikes out of nowhere. And somewhere between the heartbreak and the confusion, we whisper—or maybe shout—“God, if You’re so good, why would You let this happen?”
This question isn’t born out of cynicism; it’s born out of pain. Every tear shed in the quiet hours has carried this question. And if we’re honest, most of us have wrestled with it at some point.
Here’s the good news: God isn’t intimidated by our questions. He meets us right in the middle of them. The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat suffering; it explains its origins, gives it purpose, and promises its end. So let’s talk about it.
Pain Is a Problem — But It Points to Something Deeper (Genesis 3:16–19)
When God created the world, everything was good—whole, harmonious, and pain-free. But sin entered through human rebellion, fracturing the perfection of creation. Pain became a reality not because God willed it, but because sin distorted what He made good.
Pain is not meaningless. Like a warning light on a dashboard, it reveals that something is wrong beneath the surface. The suffering we experience today is evidence not of God’s absence, but of sin’s presence. The world is not how it’s supposed to be, and all of creation groans because of it (Romans 8:22).
Brokenness Doesn’t Cancel God’s Goodness (Psalm 34:8; Nahum 1:7; 2 Peter 3:9)
It’s easy to question God’s goodness when life hurts. But Scripture consistently testifies: God is good. Always. His goodness doesn’t change just because our circumstances do.
If God wiped out all evil immediately, none of us would stand. His patience is actually evidence of His mercy—giving humanity time to repent, to be redeemed, and to be restored through Christ.
And here’s the beautiful part: God’s goodness isn’t proven by the absence of suffering but by His presence in the midst of it. He draws near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18) and walks with us through the valleys (Psalm 23:4). At the cross, Jesus Himself entered into suffering so that one day He could end it forever.
God Uses Everything—Even Pain—for His Purposes (Romans 8:28; James 1:2–4; 2 Corinthians 4:17)
Not everything that happens is good—but God can use everything for good. Trials shape us, refine us, and deepen our faith. They build endurance and remind us that this world is temporary, but eternity is not.
Paul calls our suffering “momentary light afflictions” compared to the eternal glory God is working in us. From our limited perspective, suffering may look like tangled threads on the backside of a tapestry—but God sees the masterpiece He’s weaving.
The Cross Is God’s Answer to Suffering (Isaiah 53:3–6; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 4:15)
When we question God’s goodness, we need only look to the cross. Jesus, the “man of sorrows,” stepped into human pain. He was betrayed, beaten, and crucified—not for His own sin, but for ours.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God didn’t stay distant from our suffering; He took it upon Himself to offer us redemption and hope.
Our Hope Is Secure (Revelation 21:4; Romans 8:18–21)
The story doesn’t end in suffering—it ends in glory. Revelation 21:4 promises a day when every tear will be wiped away, death will be no more, and pain will cease forever.
Right now, we live in the tension between the “already” of Christ’s victory and the “not yet” of its final fulfillment. But the promise stands: suffering will not have the last word. Jesus will.
Suffering Doesn’t Get the Last Say—Jesus Does
The greatest tragedy isn’t suffering in this life; it’s facing eternity without Christ. The cross proves God’s goodness once and for all. He took the world’s greatest evil and turned it into the greatest good: salvation.
If you’re hurting today, hear this—He sees you. He loves you. And He offers a hope that suffering can’t steal. Bring your pain to the feet of Jesus, the One who redeems it all.