Question about faith

Investigating Faith with Lee Strobel, August 26, 2014

Q. Why does God allow tragedy and suffering?

A. You see it all over the news: wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes – as well as senseless shootings, acts of terror and wars. In addition, there is the everyday pain in individual lives: illness, abuse, broken relationships, betrayal, sorrow, injuries, heartache, crime and death.

People are suffering all around us. And many ask, “Why? Why did God allow this?”

Jesus predicted these things would happen in our sin-stained world. Unlike some religious leaders who wrote off evil and suffering as mere illusions, Jesus dealt with reality. He said in John 16:33, “You will have suffering in this world.”

But, again, why? I cannot stand in the shoes of God and give a complete answer, but we can understand some things.

To illustrate, Leslie and I were driving from Chicago to Door County, Wisconsin. It was dark when it started raining heavily, and then we hit dense fog. I could barely see the line on the edge of the highway, and didn’t know what to do. Then a truck went by us, traveling at a confident and deliberate pace. We could see his taillights through the fog, and realized that if we could just follow those lights, we'd be headed in the right direction.

It is similar with tragedy and suffering. We may not be able to make out all the peripheral details of why, but there are some biblical truths that can illuminate some helpful points of light for us. And if we’ll follow those lights, they will lead us toward conclusions I believe can satisfy our hearts and souls. Let me mention five that I've found helpful:

• First point of light: God is not the creator of evil and suffering

Genesis 1:31 says everything God made “was very good.” But if God is not the author of evil, then where did it come from? God created us with free will so we could love him – because real love always entails the ability to love or not to love. Unfortunately, we abused our freedom by rejecting God’s love and walking away from him. And that resulted in the introduction of evil into our lives and into the world.

• Second point of light: Though suffering is not good, God can use it to accomplish good

Romans 8:28 promises: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Notice it doesn't say that God causes the evil and suffering, just that he will cause some kind of good to emerge. And it doesn't say we will see immediately or even in this life how God has brought good out of the bad circumstance – just that it will happen for those of us who love him.

• Third point of light: The day is coming when suffering will cease and God will judge evil

“If God has the power to vanquish evil and suffering,” people ask, “then why doesn't he do it?” But just because he hasn't done it yet doesn't mean he won't do it. The Bible says the day will come when sickness and pain will be eradicated and people will be held accountable for the evil they've committed. Justice will be served.

Also, “the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise … he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). In other words, God hasn’t vanquished evil yet because he’s waiting to first reach some of us!