Why is There Suffering in the World?

“If God is good, why does he allow suffering and evil in the world?” a common question. What do you think? My thought is . . . if evil didn’t exist, only good, then we wouldn’t have a choice. We’d be like robots repeating in a robotic, monotone voice, “I love you. I love you.” What good is that? Deep joy comes, for example, when out of their heart our child says, “I love you, Mommy” or “I love you, Daddy.” We are made in God’s image, so I would think he feels the same way. Genesis 1:27

It’s evil that causes suffering. God didn’t create evil; he allows it for a time. This is how he describes himself in Exodus 34:6.  I am … “The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”

Heaven lasts forever, a long, long time. Our earthly life last a microscopic blink of an eye in comparison. It is my impression that God allows evil to exist briefly to give us freedom to choose. There are several reasons why, according to scripture.

“Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.” Isaiah 57:1 NLT God knows what our tomorrows hold. He has prepared me several times, but I didn’t realize it until after. He is what he says he is … filled with unfailing love … for you.