How many times have you heard the question, “Why does God allow good people to suffer?”
One way to answer that question is to simply say, “Well, that’s only happened once, and the reason God allowed it was so that Jesus could save us.” After all, he alone is good and righteous. However, that is probably not the answer the questioner is seeking, but it may be helpful in adjusting his perspective.
But allow me to share another answer that may be more to the point. Typically, when we answer this question, we discuss the nature of “free will,” that we live in a fallen world, and that suffering can be remedial and cause us to rearrange our priorities, etc. While all these things are true, I have seldom heard the answer the prophet, Isaiah offered to this question.
He said, “The righteous perishes, and no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil. He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness” (Isaiah 57:1-2).
Did you catch that? Isaiah said that the death of the righteous takes them away from evil and allows them to enter into peace. Viewed through an eternal perspective, the death of a righteous person is an escape from the evil of this world.
This reminds me of the death of Josiah. God’s “great wrath was aroused” against Judah, and he was going to bring calamity upon them (2 Kings 22:13-16). However, God was going to show mercy to Josiah because he had a tender heart and was humble before him (2 Kings 22:18). Therefore, God said, “I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place” (2 Kings 22:20).
Suffering and death, in Josiah’s case, a violent death at the young age of thirty-nine, was a way in which God blessed Josiah. He was taken away from evil and entered into peace.
Maybe we should add this to the list of reasons why sometimes God allows good people to suffer.