Spiritual beliefs may get distorted in times of depression; especially when bad things happen to good people. Viewing God as uncaring or unreal can be a part of the black mood experience. So how are we to think about a god who allows bad things to happen to good people?

In responding to this question, I will begin placing quotation marks around the words ‘good’ and ‘bad’ because sometimes what appears to be ‘bad’ is actually ‘good’. This, I believe, is frequently true in our view of life events.

Often, in the grand scheme of the universe as God knows it, what looks to be ‘bad’ is ultimately ‘good’. Look at Christ on the cross. Wow! Did a very ‘bad’ thing happen to a ‘good’ man? Or, did an ultimately very good thing happen to a very good man?

In smaller ways, God may be using ‘bad’ things to bring ‘good’ things into your life and the lives of those you love. Accepting this suggestion is not easy. Keeping faith when life hurts is hard.

We need a renewed perspective, like the writer of Trustful Surrender who said:

“If we could see all He sees
we would unhesitantly wish all He wishes.
We would beg Him on bended knees for those afflictions
we now ask Him to spare us.”(1)

Bad things do happen to good people. When they do, may God help us to submit to his will so that, in these hardships, we might be transformed into the man or woman he intends us to become.

(1) Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and Claude de la Colombiere. Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, The secret of peace and happiness. St. Benedict Press, Charlotte, NC. 1980 (originally written in 17th Century).