Why do bad things happen to "good" people?

Let's face it - Satan is free to roam on the earth at present and he has the freedom to meddle in people's lives (a good example of this was Job where YHUH gave Satan permission to test him with his earthly goods, flesh, etc.). Read Job 1: 12-19. 

Previous to these verses YHUH describes Job in the following way :

“Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears YHUH and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8) 

Suffering is not always brought about by YHUH’s judgment, so we must be careful not to fall into simplistic thinking.

Although Job was a righteous man, he suffered the loss of family, finances and health. Job himself linked his suffering to fear, which perhaps indicates Satan's root of access. “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) His friends were convinced that he was guilty of secret sin and was, therefore, responsible for the suffering that came upon him. Job denied this, and YHUH eventually vindicated him. Job’s suffering actually came about because he was righteous. YHUH blessed him because of that righteousness, and Satan targeted his blessings thinking that they were the very reasons Job served YHUH. But even with everything stripped away from him, he still served YHUH and thus was vindicated at the end.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will argue my ways before Him. (Job 13:15)

And Job tells his wife, “Should we accept only good from YHUH and not accept evil?”  (Job 2:10)

In this sense, perhaps, Job sees his afflictions as an act of the Almighty but still trusts Him fully.

Sometimes the reasons behind a person's suffering are surprising.

In John 9, Yahushua (Jesus) came upon a man who had been blind since birth, and his disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2)

Yahushua said that neither were the cause. The man’s blindness was not due to anyone’s sin. The purpose of the blindness was to reveal the splendor of YHUH through healing by Messiah!

“This happened so that the work of YHUH might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3)

If we jump to conclusions about the source of someone’s suffering, we risk losing an opportunity to pray for that person and to see the splendor of YHUH manifested before our very eyes.

Satan can cause catastrophes and illness often by manipulating people through their lusts to achieve a terrible outcomes. Even whilst people today are aware of population extremes causing climate change on the planet evil people will keep pushing for their lusts and will do nothing to save the planet - they're suicidal as Satan has blinded them. Time and chance may happen to all but the only difference between "good" and bad people is the following - YHUH's people are protected until such a time that it is their time to die according to YHUH's will. If it is your time you may go quickly in a car accident or you may die peacefully in bed - only YHUH knows this. People that are not YHUH's people can die at any time in any way with no protection from anything and they are completely in Satan's hands, his toys, if you will.  In a catastrophe then you cannot say it is YHUH's punishment for a certain country, group of people, etc. Some of YHUH's people and heathens may have been killed at the same time. As Eccl. 9:11 states "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."

Yahushua himself puts it this way in Luke 13: 1-5:

1There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And Yahushua answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Here is another verse of interest:

Proverbs 11:8-9 The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbours, but through knowledge the righteous escape.

We must not think that YHUH remains unaffected by what we go through. On the contrary:

YHUH is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  (Psalm 34:18)

We can turn to Him for help in overcoming, precisely because we can tell ourselves that YHUH may be as outraged by it as we are.

On the other hand, it's suggested the first murder in the Bible, the killing of Abel, came at the free will of Cain and not the will of YHUH.  In other words, when a person dies at the hands of a killer, it is the will of the murderer, not of YHUH.

YHUH has granted humankind freedom of choice, and while sin “crouches at the door,” YHUH allows each person to exercise his or her sovereign will.

Thus, tragedies are not the work of YHUH but of those who carry out these horrendous acts.

It is unwise to equate these crimes with YHUH’s will and assume that He is using them to punish us for some undesired acts.

The evil events that occur daily are not the will of a sovereign Elohim, but the results of our defying YHUH’s clear tenets and His moral laws.

In Genesis 6:5–6 we read how YHUH’s heart was saddened by the iniquity of mankind in the time of Noah.

Gen 6:5-6  And YHUH saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented YHUH that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 

We need not place the blame on YHUH when bad things happen to good people but know that YHUH Himself suffers from these occurrences.

As the Prophet Isaiah said, “In all their troubles, He was troubled.”  (Isaiah 63:9)

We shouldn't ask, where was YHUH, but rather, where was man? Why are good people not stopping those who are evil from carrying out their destructive acts?

When tragedy strikes we must rather examine ourselves and take stock of our deeds and our obedience to YHUH’s commandments.

Job 14:1 Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and full of trouble.

The Bible acknowledges the reality of tragedy, pain, and suffering. Yahushua said:

John 16:33 You will have suffering in this world.

Suffering is no illusion.  It is real and it is caused by sin.

Since the fall of man in Genesis 3 until today every person experiences personal tragedy, either natural or man-made. Sometimes those tragedies are sicknesses, which were also brought into the world through sin. Suffering also occurs in natural events such as earthquakes, tornadoes, and tsunamis.  Sin brought this kind of suffering into the world, too, and even nature is longing to be redeemed.

Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

And sometimes tragedies are caused by human action such as acts of terrorism, also a manifestation of sin. 

Though we may at times prevent a sickness, cure a disease, and neutralize a terrorist, sin will only be eradicated after the return of Yahushua. (Revelation 20:11–15).

Until that day, the world will grow progressively worse, with an increase in sin caused by our own selfishness, arrogance, and hatred. Though YHUH is sovereign He gave us free will so that we can choose to love or not to love.  Having given us that choice He will not rescind it.

So, while the love of many grows ever colder, we can choose for the love in our own hearts to grow ever warmer.

Romans 8:19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

 We must also remember that YHUH has a refining process for His chosen.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask YHUH, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Believers are not exempt from suffering.  Many of us may face sickness, financial hardships, or struggles with past issues that we have failed to resolve. Even so, we can be confident that YHUH is at work in our lives, and He can even use our suffering to accomplish something good.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things YHUH works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

It isn’t that He necessarily removes us to safety (though at times He may), but that as we draw nearer to Him in our suffering, we experience His Presence, protection, and guidance more.

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Whatever is happening in our lives, we must remember that YHUH is sovereign, and He may allow suffering to transform us into the image of His son.

Yahushua warned His followers that in this world we would have tribulation.  Nevertheless, we have hope that we can overcome it through the Messiah who has overcome the world.

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.

What does it mean to us that Yahushua has overcome the world? When the Ruach (Set apart Spirit ) abides in us we have access to everything that Yahushua has.  Therefore, instead of living in daily fear and anxiety, we can place our life in His hands and partner with His Ruach.

We can experience Shalom, a peace that unites us instead of the worldly strife that divides us.

If YHUH intervenes directly all the time does everyone have free will after all? Only to a point? Rather YHUH's people are encouraged to guide and help other people to make the correct righteous choices in life as YHUH wills us to do :

Deut 30:19  I call shamayim (heaven) and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

It's up to people to listen and truly follow if they want to be saved from this evil world to live eternally in YHUH's presence in the new world to come.

Point to Ponder: Good things can come from bad - what If Yahushua was not executed for our sins? Good came of bad, no?

Further Biblical readings are as follows:

James 1:13-15 and James 4:1-4 (man's complicity through friendship with the world).