Why does God allow suffering and evil?
The Devotional Answer
This is one of the toughest questions, but it has one of the most important answers! It helps to remember that God did not create suffering or evil—He created a perfect world, but something changed.
The Simple Answer
God allows suffering because He created us with free will, which means we have the freedom to choose good (His way) or evil (our own way). He did this because real love requires a choice.
The Deeper Dive: A Look at Free Will
Imagine a parent who wants their child to truly love them. That love wouldn't mean much if the child were a robot, programmed to say, "I love you." The parent wants the child to choose to love them.
In the same way, God didn't want us to be robots programmed to obey. He gave us the amazing, yet dangerous, gift of Free Will.
The Start: When God created the world, it was perfect. There was no pain, sickness, or evil.
The Choice: The first humans used their free will to disobey God and choose their own path. This choice was like a crack that let evil, pain, and suffering into the world.
The Result: Because God won't take away our free will (which is part of what makes us human), He allows us to live in a world where people still choose wrong things (evil) and where the consequences of that first choice still affect all of creation.
God's Promise
God doesn't cause the bad things, but He uses them. Just like a weightlifter uses heavy weights to grow stronger, God can use the challenges in our lives to grow our faith, character, and love for others. We can trust that He is a good God, even when the world feels broken.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
— Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Your Takeaway Thought
God didn't watch from a distance—He sent His Son, Jesus, who experienced the worst kind of suffering and evil. This shows that God is with us in our pain, and He promises to one day defeat it completely.
