Questions Christians Hope no one will Ask #5

5. How could a good God allow so much evil, pain, and suffering – or does he simply not care?

Possibly the most often asked question of all these questions, and the most easily answered…however it doesn’t mean most people like the answer. God loves us so much He allowed us to have free-will. That free-will gave way to sin and the broken, fallen world we live in. Many people don’t like that answer, but that doesn’t mean it is not truth.

The fact is, without the goodness of God we wouldn’t even have an understanding of what evil was. Those that try to deny the existence of God because of evil are caught in an endless loop. A question to ask is what is evil if there is no God? No, really, it’s a very legitimate question. By evolutionary standards, men & women throughout history who have sought power by inflicting pain, suffering, and death on others…were simply achieving survival of the fittest. Without God, there is no moral argument to say they were wrong…well, we just know they were wrong…why? Those unwilling to submit to God as their creator don’t like that question, because they have no real answer. The flip-side as mentioned above is that we have a real answer…they just don’t like it.

The good news is we can share that God has promised us an eternal life in a new world that He will create and it will be just as He intended! As Dan mentioned a couple weeks ago, it’s not that we won’t have choice in this new world…it’s that we have already made our choice to follow & love Him, accepting the gift he freely offers us. That's the “GOOD NEWS”!

I feel like I say this every week, but there definitely is more to say on this topic so study, discuss, and formulate your own ideas…not off of human logic, but from Godly wisdom and study of His word. One important thing to note, if a friend is asking this question because they are currently in the midst of pain and suffering from a tragic event or life circumstance…remember you are dealing with a soul. Comfort and healing are more important in the short term as you walk alongside and shower them with love showing you care. Don’t win an argument just to lose a soul. Time will come for discussion, make sure to meet them where they are and “Be Christ”.

Remember the more we study & discuss, the better chance we have of fulfilling the instruction of 1 Peter 3:15 “Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect”. #GloryToGod