Recently I've had discussions with two women stuck on one question: "If God is so good and loving, why is there so much pain and suffering for innocent people?" Each time, I came away feeling like somehow I'd been defeated in the conversation. In the end, I came to the realization that there must be some level of faith involved in order to believe that God is good and does care. How should I respond to this question? What scriptures should I be going to? -- Chong-Mi Kim (Santa Monica)
Questions about God's justice strike at the very heart of us all. You don't need to feel defeated; the Bible is immensely helpful with questions about evil and suffering. Yet the scriptures never give a pat answer--our temptation as we strive to bring clarity or solace to those affected by suffering. Let me here offer a list of helpful passages before summarizing my perspective, which has helped me to deal with the problem personally.
Genesis 3:16-17: Suffering is increased because we are in a fallen world into which sin has made a dramatic and often catastrophic entrance.
Job 1-42: Spiritual growth can take place through suffering, even if we never receive the explanation for why it has come into our lives. (Job never did find out why he suffered so!)
Job 1-42: Beware of shallow and fallacious explanations about suffering. The erroneous theology of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar is roundly rebuked by the Lord.
John 9:1-2: Suffering provides an opportunity for God to be glorified.
Romans 5:3-4: When we persevere through suffering, character is built.
Revelation 21-22: One day there will be an end to suffering.
Christianity offers no comprehensive "explanation to suffering," much less a promise of exemption from suffering--otherwise people would be coming into the church in droves! Yet it does promise grace to endure suffering and assures us that, through the Cross, God himself has fully shown his heart and his competence to address the problem of evil in the most intimate way possible.
For more, listen to my free download message Why Does a Good God Allow Evil?
This article is copyrighted and is for private use and study only. © 2003. Reprints or public distribution is prohibited without the express consent of Douglas Jacoby.
