Why do bad things happen to good people?

This is a common question, and for some, evidence against God. It need not be so, despite the great difficulty it poses. The exact answer is uncommon at best, but there are several things I can say. The first is that good people stray from God sometimes, and this is one way for God to chastise them, and bring them back to him. Now the myth that bad things are always punishment is expressly and explicitly denounced by the Bible. Another reeason for bad things is to show the faith of that person. This is best illustrated by the sufferings of Job, and I believe it to be completely valid in many cases. God provides for his children, though, and he'll give the strength to pass the test. Another reason may be that God will accomplish a greater task with the suffering. Sometimes it will allow the sufferer to reach out to someone they could not reach before. Possibly others will see it, and they'll get encouraged, and encourage the one suffering. Ragardless of the reason, there can be joy in such times. Aaa, the wonders God can bring, even the quiet peace in the storm...