Why do good things happen?

No, there is no mistake in the title. Why do good things happen? It’s a question that is hardly, if ever, asked. The more usual question is – why do bad things happen? A question people have wrestled with for millennia.
It’s not surprising we ask about the bad, when we are faced with the horror of Gaza and the relentless slaughter of the Ukraine war.
I read recently that Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party (at the time of writing), lost her faith in God in her twenties after watching news coverage of a particularly horrendous crime. The victim had prayed for help over many years and had not been helped.
It’s not a surprise to Christians that awful things happen in the world or that not all prayers are answered – at least not in ways that are clear and understandable. However, sometimes the existence of evil in the world hits home in a new way, through a particularly resonant event in the news or something happening closer to home. This can shake up our whole understanding of the world, including our faith in God and humanity.
The Bible is no stranger to the idea of evil. It narrates some horrendous events and asks the hard questions of why God allows such things to happen. The book of Job is a powerful exploration of the topic. Job loses everything - his possessions, his family and his health – but will not give up on God.
In the book of Psalms, the author writes, ‘My God my God why have you abandoned me?’ (Psalm 22). The same words that Jesus himself speaks as he is dying, nailed to a cross.
Bad things happen, and the answers to why? are never quite satisfactory. But let’s not forget – good things happen.
Peace comes after war; hostages are freed; sick people are healed; babies are born; food grows on trees (and plants); the sun rises; flowers bloom. There is beauty, joy, courage and laughter; there is kindness, friendship and love.
So why is it that we notice and question the bad? I suggest it is because good is normal, good is right, good is our inbuilt sense of how things should be, but we most easily notice what is out of place. Goodness is woven into creation and into the heart of humanity more deeply than all that is wrong. Goodness is embedded in our soul by the creator God who is good and has made each one of us in their image.
Why not take a moment today to sit quietly and notice what is good in your life. If you find that difficult, ask someone to help you.