[The text below represents an edited transcript of the TV version of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

When Bad Things Happen to Good People: Lessons from Job

Our world is suffering. Soldiers endure the stress and violence of war. Innocent civilians are displaced or brutalized, caught between warring factions. Homes are destroyed, lives are disrupted, families are torn apart.

Even in countries free from armed conflicts, many people suffer from drug abuse, alcohol addiction, broken homes, and physical or sexual abuse. For some, their home life is filled with daily, silent suffering.

Millions more endure the effects of failed crops from extreme weather. Blistering heat; torrential rains; water supplies that are unreliable and contaminated; food shortages from failed crops. Electricity outages and infrastructure failures.

Our world is suffering. Far too many people live their lives from one agonizing moment to the next with little relief in sight.

And so many wonder why all the suffering? Especially, why do basically caring and loving people who really do try to treat their families and neighbors well, why do they suffer, too?

These are important questions. And they are questions that deserve real answers. The Bible is the only place where we really find the truth about the big questions of life.

3 Lessons from Job About Suffering

This can be a very confusing and distressing subject. And it makes no difference what time period of history you live in.

For example, this question was difficult for a man who lived thousands of years ago. His name was Job. And the book of Job in the Bible is still relevant in our modern world, to give us insight into why God allows suffering.

Job was a good man. We are told that right in the beginning of the account. It’s found in Job 1:1.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

Blameless and upright: That means he was a faithful man, a righteous man, one who believed God and followed His directions. And yet, as those of us who’ve read the book know, something went wrong in his life. Everything was going well and he was prospering, and then it all suddenly came crashing down. His herds and flocks were destroyed. His wealth evaporated. And his grown children were violently killed.

It’s not hard for us to understand why Job got deeply discouraged. He had obeyed God; He had walked with God throughout his life. He had been blessed. And now it’s as if it all was swept away without warning or meaning. He was terribly confused and frustrated.

What did he learn through the experience? And what can we learn as we live our lives in these end-times?

Spiritual Warfare: We Have an Unseen Enemy

In the remainder of this program, let’s identify three keys to understanding why good people suffer.

1. We have an enemy in the spirit world.

That enemy is named Satan the Devil. And he and his demons—which are fallen, rebellious angels—want to distract, discourage, and destroy all humanity. The spirit world is not make-believe. The devil is not just a spooky cartoon character. He’s real and he’s our enemy.

The book of Job explains that very clearly. Notice Job 1:6.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” (Job 1:6–7).

“Sons of God” refers to righteous angels. Satan the Devil had been one of those angels, named Lucifer. But after he rebelled, he became known as Satan or the Adversary. And in this account he came before God, and God asked him what he’d been doing. Going on in Job 1:7:

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:7–8).

Again, Job is described as being a good example in character and integrity. That’s important to note. Going on in Job 1:9:

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 1:9–11).

Satan the Devil attacked Job’s character. He essentially said Job was only in it for what he could get out of God; his obedience and his love for God was conditional; and if God would take His blessings away, Job would quickly turn against God.

So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord (Job 1:12).

That’s when Satan destroyed Job’s flocks, his herds, and his livelihood. He even killed Job’s grown children in a tragic windstorm.

So who is the enemy of mankind? Who sought to pry Job’s blessings away from him? Who even wanted to drive a wedge between Job and God? It was Satan the Devil.

You know, there are certain types of actions that are so bad that God says He hates them. That should get our notice. We find the list in Proverbs 6:16:

These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

That’s exactly what Satan the Devil set out to do: to sow discord, and distrust, and suspicion between Job and God.

You can read the rest of the account in chapter 2. In that second chapter, Satan increased his persecution of Job. He struck Job with painful boils all over his body. Job’s suffering only increased.

So, what’s the point? We need to understand there IS an invisible spirit world. And in that spirit world, some angelic beings are good and righteous and helpers of God, but there is also Satan and his demons. These are angels who chose the way of self-centeredness, anger, competition, and hate. They want to destroy humanity, and they want to make human beings suffer.

You see, the author of human suffering is not God. A lot of people misunderstand that. The author of human suffering is Satan the Devil, who has deceived the whole world. Let’s read that in Revelation 12:9.

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.

This devil was in the garden of Eden with our first parents, Adam and Eve. He deceived them, coerced them into sinning, and caused them to turn away from God and disobey Him. And if you think about it, that’s been the story of human civilization ever since—a humanity cut off from God, locked into a cycle of sin, all because of Satan’s deception.

Now, you might be thinking, “Sure, there’s a devil. He’s the deceiver. He’s the destroyer. But God is all powerful. And if God is all powerful, why doesn’t He stop the suffering caused by Satan?”

God’s Plan for You: What to Learn from Suffering

Let’s go back to the account in Job 1:12.

So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

God said, “Ok, Satan, you can afflict him, but only up to a point. I won’t let you go further.” God essentially said the same thing later when Satan came back to ask if he could afflict Job’s health. In Job 2:6 we read:

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

God set the limits on what Satan could do and couldn’t do. That’s an important point to recognize. And that brings us to our second key to understanding suffering in this life.

2. God is working out a plan in your life.

When you or I have trials, and even when our life feels out of control, we must not panic. God will guide our path if we want Him to, if we seek Him with all our heart, but He also might allow us to go through some pain along the way. Why? Because God has a plan He is working out. Turn over to Hebrews 2:10.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

God’s goal is to bring every one of His created sons and daughters to glory, but to get there, there is some suffering involved. Remember, even Jesus suffered. And so, we suffer as well in this flesh, but there’s a purpose.

Before God gives anyone eternal life, He has to know we’ll live in harmony with Him forever. He doesn’t want anyone to live for all eternity who’s going to be in a state of rebellion. He won’t force anyone to accept the gift of eternal life.

And so God gave us physical lives in temporary bodies to learn to make choices. Actually, we find this choice laid out for mankind, even way back in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, our first parents, were given a choice to go God’s way, or the way of the self, influenced by Satan. They made the wrong choice and they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Notice what we read in Genesis 3:22.

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22–24).

God cut them off from access to eternal life, and in general, mankind has been cut off from God ever since. How else do you explain a world of so much corruption, violence, and sorrow? God wants the human family to learn that Satan’s way only brings suffering, misery, and death.

Does that mean humanity is lost and without hope? Not at all. God is calling individuals, one by one, to repentance. He grants forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. Those whom He calls then make the choice to enter into a personal covenant with Him. Notice what the Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 4:1:

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God (1 Peter 4:1–2).

If you are ready to leave your own past sins behind you, then God can work with you, as Peter told the brethren in 1 Peter 4:3:

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you (1 Peter 4:3–4).

Does that mean that when a Christian repents and turns His life over to God, all his problems evaporate? Of course not. We are still living in this world, and this is Satan’s world. We’re going to suffer, even as a Christian. Notice 1 Peter 4:12:

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy (1 Peter 4:12–13).

In this world, in this life, we’re going to suffer even as Christians.

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other peoples’ matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:14–17).

Judgment in this case means evaluation and testing. In other words, if you turn your life over to God, He’s going to work with you and train you. And sometimes that means suffering, because some of the most important lessons we learn in life come through things we suffer. It doesn’t mean He has abandoned us. It means He’s got a plan, and He’s working with us.

Consequences of Sin Include Suffering

God has a plan to call every human being who has ever lived, in their own time, and ultimately bring many sons to glory.

But there’s one more thing we need to address as we examine this question, why do good people suffer? One more key. That is:

3. All have sinned (except Jesus Christ).

When we ask the question why do good people suffer, there really is an implied assumption. That is, “God is not fair.”

What do I mean? Well, because we may think that good people—however that is defined—shouldn’t suffer because they’re good. And it’s really God’s fault if good people suffer because, after all, He could stop it because He’s all-powerful.

But let’s ask ourselves the question, what is a “good person?” How do you define it? Rather than let our own ideas answer that, let’s find out what the Bible says. We find an interesting passage in Matthew 19:16;

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Matthew 19:16–17).

This rich young ruler came to Christ asking this question. But Jesus made an important point: Don’t casually throw around evaluations of good or bad without understanding God’s standard because, in the ultimate sense, no one is good. No man is good. No woman is good. Only God is good.

But then He goes on in Matthew 19:17:

“But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

The standard for being good is God’s commandments. And yet none of us have ever perfectly, completely attained that standard. None of us can say we are without mistakes or without sin. The Apostle Paul explains that in Romans 3:23.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

And what is the penalty for sin? Paul explains that as well in Romans 6:23.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have all earned the death penalty. And our human nature, instead of being basically good, is actually flawed and not willing to be subject to God. Notice what Paul said in Romans 8:7:

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

You see, all of us feel we deserve certain things. We deserve to be blessed. We deserve to be loved. We deserve freedom and justice. We deserve to have a smooth and relatively pain-free and problem-free life. We may not actually say those words, but deep down, I think that’s our assumption. And yet, what do we really deserve, based on our actions?

God is a just God. There is absolutely no partiality in Him. That’s in Romans 2:11. He will never sin. He is a God of justice. But perhaps even more important for us on a personal level, He is also a God of mercy.

You see, in the ultimate sense, none of us deserve the mercies of God. None of us deserve to have our sins forgiven. And Jesus Christ didn’t deserve to have to suffer and die for our sins. He willingly did it, because He loves us. And the Father gave His Son because HE loves us.

“After you have suffered a while” | 1 Peter 5:10 Explained

Let’s revisit the example of Job briefly. At the end of the book, he finally realized the suffering he’d gone through had been for a purpose. He had needed to learn valuable lessons. He needed to draw closer to God and rely less on his own goodness. Here is how he sums it up in Job 42:5:

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5–6).

Why suffering? To learn to reject relying on our own goodness, and instead to learn to embrace the authority and will of our Creator God. And suffering in the flesh is a necessary component God uses to teach us that.

God is offering us eternal life. That’s a long time. Whatever we suffer in this life—which is just a blink of an eye compared to eternal life—is worth it. Notice what Peter said in 1 Peter 5:10:

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strength, and settle you.

Our destiny is to have eternal life with God and our Elder Brother in His Kingdom forever—without suffering, without pain and without death. Forever. Notice what John says in Revelation 21:3:

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3–4).

That’s God’s plan. That’s what He’s preparing us for.

God is working out a plan in bringing many sons to glory, but He allows us to live in this temporary state to learn lessons. And He even allows Satan the Devil to be around so we can learn a clear distinction between Satan’s way and God’s way.

God’s way produces harmony, peace, and a wonderful life free of suffering in God’s family forever.

God gives everyone the choice between these two ways of life. And ultimately, we will all have to choose for ourselves, as Moses told the Israelites as they prepared to go into the Promised Land, in Deuteronomy 30:19.

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life (Deuteronomy 30:19–20).

God is allowing all humanity to learn what sin and its effects look like. And at the end of the day, God wants that experience to teach us to choose life.

In this next video, you’ll find one very important key to how to do that.

Now, many of you have probably taken a step toward choosing life, just by wanting to know Jesus Christ. And you probably know that He suffered greatly and even died for your sins.

But if you truly want to follow Jesus Christ, wouldn’t you also want to know which behaviors He calls sins—so that you can turn away from them?

Watch this next video to discover the Bible’s clear answer to the question: What is sin?