The question of why God lets bad things happen is one of the biggest questions impacting both intellectual debates about the Christian faith, and deeply personal struggles amongst people who undergo suffering. What can we discover from Scripture?
One thing we can know is that suffering, ‘bad things happening’, are the consequence of curse of the fall. The result of the sin of Adam and Eve, and the sin amongst all humanity since then, is suffering in this world. Adam was told that the ground was cursed because of his sin, and that his work would be painful (Genesis 3:17-19 and Romans 8:18-22).
In the Bible, many bad things were allowed to happen to the man Job. God allowed Satan to bring suffering into Job’s life, because he wanted to show that Job would stand firm and be faithful to Him. But Job wasn’t given this insight; he, like us, questioned why God allowed so many bad things to come into his life. Job didn’t know why God let bad things happen to him; but he remained faithful. (Job 1:8-12, 22; Job 2:3)
Jesus told his followers that they would undergo persecution and trials, just as he did (John 15:18-16:4). We also know that God uses the bad things that happen to us as discipline; like a father disciplining his children, for our good, so that we may share in his holiness, and so that later on a harvest of righteousness and peace may be the result (Hebrews 12:10-12).
Another result of suffering and trials is they lead to the development of perseverance, hope and a refined faith in those who undergo them (1 Peter 1:6-7 and James 1:2-4).
That’s what I’ve been thinking. Why do you think God lets bad things happen?
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The Rev 
God let bad things happend. People are turning away from God. So there is judgement, the rath of God up on the earth. God wants the people to turn to him. For those who accept Jesus into there life will be cought up in the rapture and many people will be left behind to face the 7 year tribulation.
I essentially agree with all the comments posted BUT how do you answer a person, who does not believe in God that their 5 year old child has cancer, or a father was killed in a car accident a women rapped without any provocation on her part or any other such disaster that is out of your/their control? The issue about suffering is connected with the attribute “GOD IS LOVE”. Where is love in all of these seemingly “unjust or unnecessary” bad things?
A thought for Daniel>
There is this famous story about a young college student who argues with his professor over a similar idea; that God doesn’t exist because there is so much evil in this world. The student ended up going on to say that cold is the absence of heat and dark is the absence of light, that you can’t measure cold or darkness, you can only measure how much light or heat is absent. The story goes on to say that the student was Albert Einstein, whether this is true or not I do not know.
There is a song by Switchfoot that says “the shadow proves the sunshine”. Of course this is so true, you can’t have a shadow without a source of light behind it. And then there is the argument of> how do we know these things are evil unless we have something to compare it to. The very presence of evil and hurt in this world may be the thing that proves that God exists.
This may not answer your question, but I have another thought for you. God gave up his son Jesus to show us his Love. This is the perhaps the most unselfish and loving act of history, being separated from someone who you have been in eternal relationship with so that when WE experience the injustices of the world we can be renewed and redeemed by Love that was given freely.
A x
Hi Ashlee
You are talking to the converted. I am just raising the question as it is a real question we Christians have to answer. Although I am reconciled to a similar answer to what you gave, I am also at a loss to answer many questions as to why God allows the bad things happen when they seem unnecessary or “unjustified”. People do not want a theological or philosophical answer they want an answer (or better hope) to the pain/ache in their life.
i don’t think got makes bad things happen but he sometimes lets bad things happen because he wants to show you something. he might want to work through those bad things, for example when joseph was sold into slavery, that was a bad thing that happened to him but God worked through that to take joshua to Egypt, where he wanted him to do something. when he (Joshua) was sent to prison God used this opportunity to tell the chef/wine tastee and baker who shared the prison cell with Joshua about God. He then through this gave Joseph to gift to read dreams which led to Joseph being put in chrge of Egypt. So i think God sometimes doesn’t stop bad things from happening because he wants us or other people to know him more or to bring glory to His name.
In my experience, it’s because he’s trying to teach me something or stop me from sinning.
I was reading exodus last night and chapter 7:3-5
“But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces-my people, the Israelites-from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”
This stood out to me in saying that when things are chaotic in our life, and we expect them to get better, because we pray or fast, and they dont, the Lord is allowing things to occur so that he can truly show his Glory. He wants to multiply his miraculous signs.
Its like one bad thing after another keeps coming our way, but if you trust the Lord, you will know that when we feel like all is lost and that there is no way out, he will cause things to come together in the most miraculous way, showing that he truly is the Lord. How much more do we love God when he forgives us for a lot, rather than a little, so it is when he shows us a magnificent miracle rather than the tiny ones we see everyday, we will fear him with much more reverence.
A x