Two Promises

A conundrum has existed in the minds of people as long as there have been people. If God is a good God, why do bad things happen? God has made promises to His people, that they will be blessed in numerous ways, in this life, but also blessed with eternal life. However, He also provides us with the guarantee that His people will be persecuted. Is this a contradiction? Since God cannot lie, this is not a contradiction. The affliction, persecution and bad things that happen to people are for the greater cause of glorifying God, building character, and blessing His people with eternal life.