Suffering: Where's the Justice?

Why does God let good things happen to “bad” people and let “good” people suffer? I don't have all the answers, but I do know this - “good” people suffer, but so do “bad” people. And “bad” people prosper, but so do “good” people. We just notice more when good things are happening to a “bad” person and it's a “good” person suffering.

Sometimes suffering can be what makes “bad” people do bad and prospering can be what allows “good” people to do good. A person who is starving with three children has more reason to steal than someone who isn't starving. Of course, not everyone who does wrong has a sob story, but everyone (despite what they've done) deserves love. I firmly believe that people who have people that care about them, pray for them, and spiritually, physically, and emotionally support them are less likely to do wrong. Besides, even if it wouldn't keep them from doing wrong, what does it hurt to do good? It only helps.

And aren't we all “bad” people at times in our lives? Don't we all do bad things? When I think of “bad” people, I always think of Hitler. But the truth is we're all guilty of some wrongdoing. By calling some people “bad” people, we are comparing them to others. Just because one person's sin is common knowledge doesn't mean their sin is greater than those of someone whose sins are kept hidden. Sometimes good people do bad things. Sometimes good people do really bad things. The truth is God is the judge of who is bad and who is not. Anyone can change, and Jesus died to allow us second chances (and third chances, and fourth chances...). And those who really are bad people will suffer in the next life if not this one.

So. Why do bad things happen? [If you want the deep answer, it's because Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree which brought suffering into the world. Some people may see this as a punishment, but really Adam's and Eve's lives of perfect health, painlessness, and imortality were special gifts that God had given to them, and when they sinned, he took those gifts away. Rather than a punishment, it was more a loss of gifts they proved unworthy of]. As most everyone knows, good can come out of bad (and often, if not always, does). A death can bring a family community closer together, an illness can bring a family together, an internal struggle can bring you closer to God and make you stronger. Good comes from suffering over and over again. And here's a nifty little piece of information: with every suffering we have, God gives us the opportunity to make a gift out of it. For example, say you have a headache, but instead of taking meds, you offer up your pain for someone you love. Or say you're really scared by a tornado and you decide to offer up your fear for someone in purgatory. You can turn your suffering into a gift. How cool is that?

Of course, certain suffering cannot be prevented, due to original sin, but some kinds of suffering certainly can be prevented if people love enough and care enough. If we cared enough to love and care for everyone, I truly believe that bad things such as robbery, suicide, and murder rates (just to name a few) would decline. God has a plan – but we need to do His will. We are His hands and feet, afterall. Sometimes prayers aren't answered the way we want them to be because God's chosen tools (us) don't cooperate with His will.

For example, let's say that a family is found dead, having died from hypothermia and starvation in their own home. You knew the family and had been praying that the father would find a job because you knew that their family was in a major financial crisis and no longer had electricity and was having trouble even affording food, but you never made any physical effort to actually do something to help them. You and all the people who knew the family could have made some sort of an effort to help them. Helping the father find a job (ex. driving him to interviews), making sure the family had food, or proper clothing. Of course, the average person may not be able to save the family from financial crisis all on their own, but the average person can make at least a small effort. Maybe you don't have much to give yourself, but even a few bags of groceries would surely have meant the world to that family. It could have meant another week or two of life. And maybe during that extra time, the father might have found a job and been able to make just enough to buy food and turn the electricity on, allowing them to pull through that rough week of winter.

Sure, prayer is wonderful and powerful, but it is foolish for us to expect God to do all the work. If I were to ask my mother to help me get an 'A' in a college class, for example, I wouldn't expect her to do my work for me, whisper all the answers in my ear during my tests, and attend my classes for me. I would ask for her help, intending to do my part. After all, I'm the student, not her. And she's my mom, not my personal servant. Why should we expect any different from God? Of course He wants us to ask Him for help, and I'm sure He takes special pleasure in hearing our prayers and in coming to our aid. But it doesn't please Him when we ask for something without making any effort to work for it when we are capable of doing so. Sure, there may be times when we really are unable to change certain circumstances, but when we can, we need to try.

So, the next time you're suffering, think about offering it up and consider what good can come out of it, and the next time you hear about someone else's suffering, think about how you can help them. And whenever you see something good happening to someone who you wouldn't quite describe as angelic, be happy for them. You never know what their stuggle is, and everyone deserves love and joy.

Shoutout to Bradley Tarr who inspired me to write this article.