An excellent individual exhibits compassion towards others and puts their needs before their own. They are honest, open, and kind in their behavior. Yet evil people seem to thrive even in this life! Why do evildoers live long lives and see all their needs met in life? Do their desires get fulfilled as their days grow numbered?
The Bible provides answers for why good people suffer and bad ones prosper, as well as why some good people must endure suffering while others seem to prosper. It is essential that suffering does not indicate God's absence or disapproval.
People often ask why good people must suffer while bad ones prosper, which is an understandable concern when corrupt world leaders get richer, and criminals avoid justice. The Bible provides clarity on this issue by discussing suffering and explaining that those responsible will ultimately reap what they sow.
Why Do Good People Suffer?
Many people struggle to explain why good people suffer while bad people thrive, an intriguing conundrum that has long been debated among philosophers and religious leaders alike. Although no straightforward answers may exist for this phenomenon, here are a few explanations which might shed some light on it:
One possible explanation is that good people possess higher levels of consciousness than those who engage in crime, meaning they have a greater ability to empathize and understand other people's perspectives, which allows them to do more good for society despite suffering as individuals.
Another possible explanation is that good people tend to have a stronger connection to God, which allows them to see how all things work for the good of those who love him. Furthermore, good people typically have a deeper understanding of karma and reincarnation - thus being better equipped to accept hardships that come their way knowing they will eventually pay the consequences of their sins in some form or fashion in future lives.
Evil people may thrive in the short term. Their focus and drive, coupled with pathological narcissism and ruthlessness can often help them achieve their goals; consequently, this makes them adept at succeeding in money and power circles.
No matter the cause, good people often suffer. Even those of us with more advanced mindsets have difficulty accepting that life can sometimes be unfair and that bad things happen to good people.
Furthermore, it is essential to remind ourselves that no matter who we are we cannot escape the laws of nature - even being good doesn't exempt anyone from experiencing the consequences associated with those who cheat on tests or rob banks.
Trusting in God can ultimately save you from the anguish of suffering. By trusting that all things work for good for those who love Him, then it will become clearer to you that His plans for your pain include teaching lessons and growing closer to him.
Why Do Bad People Prosper?
Evil people prosper by following their desires; they're driven and focused by narcissism and often brutal determination, leading them to material success through wealth or power accumulation. Meanwhile, good people also flourish from another angle: contented and thankful for what they have.
Many wicked people are successful due to natural talents and possess a Midas touch that brings wealth. Unfortunately, however, many have also gained wealth through unethical means such as illegal business deals, money laundering schemes, smuggling activities, fraudsters, or theft; not feeling any regret for their crimes as long as they get rich - which means no apology is needed from either side for such misconduct! They see crime as their right as long as it results in riches.
So, they do not experience any of the hardships or struggles experienced by virtuous people, seemingly appearing unaffected by harm as though protected by some supernatural force.
However, they fail to see that life is unfair and that only those who act righteously should be rewarded, and those who behave unethically punished. They neglect that there will come a day of reckoning after this life and that their true karma will become clear - until that day comes, they may enjoy prosperity due to good karma accrued before this one but when that balance runs out, they'll suffer greatly like Harshad Mehta or Kedarnath-like disaster.
Why Do Evil People Get What They Want?
If we accept the concept of karma, evil people should pay the consequences of their actions. God punishes bad people through disasters or illnesses that make life unpleasant for them; however, that's not necessarily why they get what they want - they may also benefit from past good karmas that bless them with success in this lifetime; at some point however, their balance of karma will run out and they'll face reality head-on.
Evil people achieve their objectives because they know how to manipulate others to achieve their objectives. They might shower you with gifts or attention as a ploy for control. Or worse still, they might lie their way to their desired goal without feeling guilty for hurting other people along the way.
They lack empathy and cannot comprehend other people's emotions, are self-absorbed, only interested in meeting their own needs, will not help those in need, may hurt others for personal gain, and have no compassion towards animals - often mistreating or abusing them for personal gain.
One reason we react so negatively to evil actions is because they stem from especially repugnant motivational states. Accepting this explanation allows the concept of evil to explain why people perform such deeds.
Answering this question lies in the reality that evil people possess different karmas than honest people; more bad karma than good means they prosper while honest individuals suffer and pay the price in terms of punishment or penalties. Furthermore, evil individuals are better at using money and power to purchase their way out of trouble than honest individuals can.
Though this explanation may not provide a complete solution, it does help explain why evil people get their way. To break free from this cycle of cruelty and injustice, it's vitally important to recognize signs of evil among your fellow human beings and act upon them accordingly. If anyone appears manipulative or creates drama for whatever reason, walk away. Staying away will only reduce their likelihood of harming future interactions with you.
Why Do Good People Get Punished?
Many people assume that since God is all-powerful and good, He should prevent suffering and evil from occurring to good people. Unfortunately, however, He does allow it because He knows what will ultimately benefit us all in the end.
Example: A business that engages in selfish and greedy practices will eventually experience the effects of their behavior; customers they worked hard to acquire may leave, even going bankrupt; ultimately, they must learn how to be more ethical and fairer when conducting their transactions if they hope to remain successful and happy over time.
Good people do not always receive the recognition and rewards they are owed, for various reasons ranging from bureaucracy, politics, and personal jealousy to bureaucracy or jealousy - it can be very disheartening when good acts go unrewarded despite them. Many times, bad deeds go unpunished as well; it can be extremely disheartening.
Good people often suffer because they believe they do not deserve to be mistreated, often believing themselves superior to those around them and acting arrogantly towards them - leading them to act condescendingly, which in turn causes emotional damage and can create much discomfort for everyone involved.
Good people often put themselves at risk by helping others, leaving themselves open to exploitation and manipulation. Others don't want the responsibility of being victims, so they try not to become embroiled in other people's problems and may end up feeling guilty and distressed by doing so - further leaving themselves exposed and vulnerable.
Good people are frequently judged for their beliefs or opinions, which can cause great pain to themselves and those they love. Religious people in particular often come under fire for what are seen as judgmental attitudes toward homosexuality or other forms of sexuality.
Many times, good people are punished for being good by being forced into situations they do not enjoy or having to work harder than other employees. For instance, they may need to work longer hours or perform more complex tasks than their colleagues; plus, they're more likely to receive negative feedback in performance reviews than other colleagues.
The Bible Addresses the Question
The Bible gives clear answers to this age-old question, showing how God is indeed merciful even to wicked and sinful people, providing what they need for success - health, intelligence, strength, land opportunities, and natural resources as He does with righteous people - just because He loves all creation equally and is fair.
However, the prosperity of wicked individuals causes great distress among believers. Believers can become dismayed at how easy life is for the wicked both materially and spiritually - greed, violence, oppression, and pride all characterize these wicked people (vv 4-6).
Therefore, they live free from fear of God's punishment and come to believe they deserve their prosperity and success. The psalmist was distressed that only those obedient to the Old Testament, like himself an Israelite pious enough to believe this promise were enjoying its benefits (Dt 28:15-68) were enjoying its promises. He felt this injustice deeply.
Psalmist observed with shock and sadness that the wicked were flourishing both physically and spiritually, boasting sleek bodies unburdened by life's trials or troubles; being rich and popular caused distress among worshipers at their local church where he led choir rehearsals.
As he sang in his congregation, the Psalmist began to explore what it meant by prosperity ("shalom"). He realized it wasn't simply money that comprised prosperity - rather, prosperity encompassed spiritual and emotional well-being as well. Additionally, he came to see that wicked prosperity wasn't simply material but was detrimental in other ways as well.
The Psalmist concludes that wicked people's prosperity will eventually be short-lived. Their peace will soon be disturbed (vv 16-18) and any momentary success they enjoy will soon give way to peril and perplexity due to God's judgment against their foundations which could crumble at any moment.
We Only See the Good That Happens to the Wicked
Finding it distressing when good people suffer while evil ones thrive is both frustrating and perplexing, yet we often cannot understand why this occurs. Many ask this question of God all of the time and receive various answers - most frequently those pursuing wicked paths are being guided by Satan and his demons to bring "woe for the earth," but let us remember that good things also happen to good people.
Evil souls often succeed at succeeding in life because they operate outside any framework of morality and righteousness, enabling them to get away with bad acts without feeling compelled to adhere to moral standards - this allows them to get rich while also potentially leading them down paths of murder or other criminality.
Evil souls often gain the upper hand due to their ability to conceal their misdeeds, yet this still doesn't protect them from the consequences that stem from these actions. Even though consequences might not come immediately, they still must deal with them eventually.
At times of great hardship or sorrow, having a spiritual foundation can provide comfort. Knowing God is there can help ease suffering by giving meaning and purpose to suffering. As difficult times emerge, it may seem as though nothing makes sense. Instead, we should ask why good people suffer while bad ones prosper.
The answer lies in accepting that those doing good must work hard for their rewards while those engaging in bad behaviors reap what they sow. We should accept that life isn't fair but also remember that God has his plan in mind and will eventually triumph - an assurance we should hold fast to to stay faithful to Jesus Christ and stay on course with his goals.
The World Isn’t Fair
People tend to experience feelings of unfairness, making it hard for us to accept when it seems the world is against us. Many who suffer injustice often use the phrase, "life's not fair" when discussing their hardship. Understanding that life isn't fair can prevent bitterness from creeping in when facing hardship; additionally, it prevents taking inappropriate approaches towards solving your problems which make matters even harder to resolve.
Fairness in the world is a recurrent theme in Biblical narrative, with Job serving as one of the best examples. He lost everything that mattered to him before his three friends tried to comfort him but only increased his anger and bitterness further. Finally, he demanded to know why God allowed the evildoers to prosper so easily.
There is truth to the saying that life is unfair, yet when dealing with its injustice it's important to remember several key points. First of all, no one else shares your perspective - although it may appear so, their lives differ, and they experience it differently from you.
Remember that the world isn't a zero-sum game: any time you gain something, it doesn't have to be balanced out by someone else losing out in some way. Because of this, you must learn to love yourself no matter what life throws your way.
A healthy sense of self-esteem makes it more difficult to dismiss the idea that life is unfair; you will likely see good in others even if they are not as nice. Indeed, in one experiment where participants saw an agonized woman suffer electric shocks, those who believed the world was fair were more likely to find her pain acceptable, an effect known as the "just-world effect." Unfortunately, this phenomenon can lead to greater suffering both personally and internationally.
God Is Just
One of the more challenging aspects of God's character to comprehend is His Justness. To truly comprehend it we must first accept that He is fair and impartial when treating people, nature, or sin equitably and impartially. His Justness serves a necessary function as He judges right from wrong and administers punishment when violating His standards.
When we think of God being just, our initial thought maybe that He must punish all sinners without mercy or forgiveness for repentant ones. While He does punish sinners who choose not to turn from their evil ways, He also shows love and mercy toward repentant sinners - this dichotomy between justice and mercy is central to Christianity but sometimes difficult for us to reconcile within ourselves.
Problems arise when we use our human standards as the yardstick to judge God. This causes dissonance between what we understand of the Gospel and its biblical understanding; creating discordant theologies. A biblical view of the Gospel helps clarify this dilemma by reconciling justice with mercy and love from Him.
To understand God's justice properly, we must first remember He is a triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). This allows Him to simultaneously be all-powerful, all-benevolent, and all-knowing; He possesses both infinite power and total knowledge - not to mention perfectly loving and just acts.
An excellent illustration of how justice and mercy work together comes in the form of an account of a judge who was asked to adjudicate against an old acquaintance who had turned criminal. While remaining just, the judge knew he needed to show mercy as well so he wrote out a check for the penalty amount as part of an act of forgiveness and handed it directly over to his friend stating that they would pay it themselves instead.
God is just and merciful in equal measure; as an all-loving, triune God He longs to bring all people into a relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ. Those who reject his love will face consequences in this life while those who choose faithfully will reap rewards in eternity.
