This discussion is not meant at all to minimize the unbearable, sometimes lifelong pain that people feel in certain kinds of sickness, death or loss. Tragedy seems to be a common occurrence for many around the world. Many have sought to answer the question of “why suffering”. Since great people have failed to give an exhaustive treatise on this subject, I only hope here to mention some of the arguments I have heard or thought of that seem to make the most sense.
Suffering in almost all cases originates from the existence of evil. So then, the question becomes “why evil”. Since God is good and He created beings that are free moral agents, the possibility of evil enters the picture. Evil in this case defined as beings not choosing to do things God’s way. Therefore, since God has existed from the beginning, as soon as He created other beings the possibility of evil enters the picture and therefore, we can say that evil existed from the beginning as well. It was not, per se, created by God. It is a function of choice.
Why choice? The creator God desires followers and worshippers who choose Him out of free will. There is no true love apart from choice. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve according to scripture, and they were given dominion over all the earth. Since the first major bad choice occurred in the Garden of Eden made by Adam and Eve, we see dominion over the earth being handed over to Satan. Sickness, sin, death, and evil enter into the world at that point. At THIS point (now) these forces are fully incorporated into the world and take many forms.
There is one sense in which evil is allowed in order to bring about the plan of God. For example, if it were not for Goliath, where would David be? And as Joseph said in Genesis when confronted by his brothers who tried to kill him and failed, Gen 50:20 (KJV) “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” The evil done unto Joseph caused him to be placed into prison in Egypt, to be brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream, and eventually to be the second in command of Egypt. While second in command he save the Israelite nation by providing them food and shelter. Its and amazing story.
In another sense in which evil is allowed that God may show His power and glory. There are so many Biblical examples of God showing His power which could only have been demonstrated as a result of the defeat of evil. The primary example of course being Jesus Christ. The Son of God was sent to earth to live and die a miserable death at the hands of torturers. As a result of that death, and His subsequent raising from the dead, God has orchestrated the taking back of earthy dominion for believers in Christ and the salvation of the world for those who will place their trust in Him. There are of course many other Biblical and extrabiblical examples of great evil being turned to miraculous victory so that God will get the glory. Our Father in heaven is worthy of glory, and honor and praise and He loves to strike major blows in defense of His children.
Finally, I would offer the notion that God allows evil so that he can sanctify and prepare His children for eventually ruling and reigning with Him. As James says in Chapter 1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
Learning to trust God in the good times and the bad times is most important. This is preparation for ruling and reigning with Christ in the future. Romans 8:29 KJV says “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The way we are conformed into His image is through the trials and tribulations of life.
In sum there is “evil” in the world’s physical makeup such as weather patterns, there is evil in the hearts of man, and there are evil forces at work in the spiritual world. Any or all of these can affect people in negative ways.
To those who have been damaged or emotionally destroyed by the horrors of evil, I beseech you not to give up. Because you have been touched once by evil, it does not require that you will be touched again and again.
Pray hard, make good choices as best you can, and trust in God to make all things right – even the terrible events.
He alone has the ultimate power to turn even death into victory – like He did with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15 (KJV) says: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
