Why Do Good Things Happen To Bad People

A common rebuttal to religion as a whole is the question, "If G-d is all-powerful, why does He let innocent people suffer?" This has caused countless people to abandon religion altogether because it is admittedly a hard problem to answer. I believe there is an underlying misconception of G-d's place in the universe, the nature of good and bad, and where forgiveness comes into play.

Suffering is an Invitation

Empathy isn't a side effect of being human; it is being human. Suffering isn't a punishment or a test from Hashem; it's an invitation to do something about it. It's about overcoming someone's sins with mitzvahs. All of humanity's history of innovation has been in the pursuit of limiting suffering. The technology built during WWII brought intense destruction, and we took that and instead brought immense discovery with space and air travel. An orphaned child gets adopted by people who couldn't have a child themselves.

If Everything Happens for a Reason, Then Nothing Does

When I got my job offer at Apple and it suddenly hit me that I had to move to California, I knew Hashem wanted me there. I didn't know why. I thought maybe it was to positively impact billions of people that use the Photos app. Now I realize it was to be at the right place at the right time. G-d knew I would only go to California for Apple, but He brought me there to find a girl. I wouldn't have met Annie otherwise.

When I left Apple a few months ago, I knew that wasn't my purpose. If I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and we're all going through His divine plan, then I'm exactly where I need to be. Harboring on why or who only distracts me from where Hashem is guiding me.

I never really see things as bad. I grieve, but I forgive too. Living with hate or regret is a form of disbelief, as you are convincing yourself that it should have gone another way and Hashem messed up.

I'm a broken person. I think I've always been broken, and I believe most people are too. I constantly fail, fall, and get hurt trying. I don't know how to handle most things and usually end up affecting others. Ever since I moved to California, I've felt that every time I do something good for someone, it ends up being bad for someone else. These aren't mistakes, however. No matter how many times I mess up (and I will mess up), I'll still be there to make it better. It's my obligation, being on Earth, to do so. When someone wrongs me, I don't fight back. I know the Torah goes into detail about punishment and justice, but that is truly not my place. Everyone deserves more chances. Everyone has their own struggles that torment them every day.

There is a quote in Genesis from Yosef that encapsulates all of this:

Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me hither; it was to save life that G-d sent me ahead of you.

Yosef forgives his brothers. He doesn't regret what happened. He knows it was what Hashem wanted for him since it led to a greater good. He never says the actions weren't wrong, but he forgives them as they allowed him to bring more good into the world.

What is "Bad"?

What do you define as "bad"? Something that shouldn't have happened? Something that wasn't supposed to happen? These definitions don't fit in the divine plan. Rabbi Friedman spoke about an analogy:

A man went up to a rabbi and said, "Do you know why the Holocaust happened?" The rabbi said, "If I told you, then you'd become a Nazi." There's no comfort in knowing why something happened. If you do find comfort in the reason, then you have found the reason as acceptable and you are therefore complicit. It's a bit jarring, but the idea is that you have to do good for the sake of doing good and not find solace in why something happened. You can't be regretful; you can't be still.

Bad things happen because they force us to strive to do better. People commit sins to have the guilt drive them to do mitzvahs. People suffer so others can aid.

The Endless Loop of Self-Improving

No matter how far you’ve strayed, you can always return.

So the original question I asked is, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" Why do people undeserving get any rewards? We're not here for rewards or punishments. We're here because Hashem needs us to repair the world. He needs us to fix what is broken inside of us. Repairing the world isn't just about doing good deeds; it's about doing good to fix what is broken inside you. This is the idea of Teshuvah. Is everyone truly unforgivable?

Hashem doesn't need you to be flawless. He needs you to fall. He needs you to fail. He needs to see you get hurt trying. He needs you, exactly as you are, to do good where there isn't any.

You intended to harm me, but G-d intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.