Why do bad things happen to good people?

BY REV. BRIAN JACK - FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST OKOBOJI

Attempting to answer this question with reasoning never works. Never have I heard someone respond to a logical explanation of bad things happening by saying: "Oh, thank you! Now I am at peace with what has happened to me and my loved one."
While the "why" of bad things in this world is often hidden from us, what God can — and does — do about bad things is not hidden.
There are many examples in scripture, but perhaps the clearest comes in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The absolute worst happens to the absolute best. The Son of God is crucified and dies as a criminal.
We could ask, "Why did this happen?" But, again, no amount of reasoning will leave us saying, "I'm at peace with Jesus being crucified."
Instead faith invites us to come at our subject asking: "What does God do about bad things?" Yours is the God who brings life from death, who can rescue from anything, who even makes the grave the door to eternal life.
I can't logically explain how any of this works, but I can tell you it is good news that is for you. News that brings hope in the face of "bad things," news that begins to bring peace and trust that the bad news isn’t the end of the news about our story with God. In Christ's life, death and resurrection God has revealed that he can and does bring bad things to a good ending.