Why Do Bad Things Happen If God Is Good?

One of my biggest pet peeves is when Christians, posed with the question "why do bad things happen if there is a good God?" respond in the following manner: "Even though we only see the negative effects of (insert tragic situation here), maybe God is using this for good. He has a bigger plan."

I think that's a shallow answer-- one that does not really reflect Biblical teachings that accurately nor reflects the general character of God. I think this is something that Christians hear long enough, attached with a proof texted version of Romans 8:28, and eventually begin to regurgitate, not necessarily out of laziness, but out of fear. Because what if we really thought about that question? What if we really, honestly considered how such bad things can happen in this world if God is simultaneously sovereign and good? Without our go to "it's secretly a good thing" mojo, we might get uncomfortable pondering that question.

I'll never forget being a senior in high school, relatively new to my faith, and having a good natured, mostly joking conversation with a friend, who isn't a Christian. And suddenly the conversation got very real, very quickly, and before I knew it, he was citing incidents of children who die of cancer and people who starve to death and honestly asking me, "where's your God now?" And I had no idea what to say, because suddenly thinking that God intended these things for any purpose seemed far fetched-- a convenient assumption made to answer a hard question.

This in mind, I think of the account of Adam and Eve very differently than I used to. It seems straight forward enough: God makes paradise. God puts man in paradise. Man breaks law. God punishes man. Boom. Genesis.

But I don't think that's exactly accurate. I don't think God put us all in a world where tragedy runs rampant because He was angry and wanted to punish us. I think God was angry because He knew the result of sin-- He foresaw the terrible things that could and would happen in a fallen, flawed world-- the tragedy that would strike the people He loves. This world, as it is, is not something God ever intended. Death was not an original part of God's plan, but rather a result of sin. God hates the senseless things that happen here more than we do. I believe that.

And so when I see people using a tragedy like the one that occurred today to say either "we may not understand it, but God knows what He's doing," as if this was something He intended-- a blessing in disguise-- or "this is a form of God's punishment for kicking Him out of our schools," it makes me sick.

God hates death. And He doesn't joyfully dole it out to advance His kingdom (either as a blessing or as a punishment.)

I'm praying hard tonight for the people of Newtown.