In life crises and suffering, As a Pastor, I would often hear voices of deep frustration and pain cry out “Why?” to God. I always preach a God who is loving, kind, good and has our best interest foremost in mind in all things. The scriptures are clear about the goodness of God. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus addresses the issue of God’s goodness and says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Beyond the cry of pain and frustration comes the question of why there is any evil in the world. I often hear the argument that If God is sovereign and can do whatever He pleases, then why is there evil in the world? Surely, a God who is all-powerful could eliminate evil, and a God who is all-good would want to do so. Yet evil is not eradicated—it is alive and well on planet Earth. Hence, it would seem to follow that no such sovereign God exists. The argument goes, “Either God is not all good, or He is not all-powerful.”
I always remind those in tough times to remember that even though God has not yet vanquished evil, it does not mean He never will. The last two chapters of the Bible make it perfectly clear that God’s intention is to eradicate evil from the world completely. Second, God acts according to his infinite wisdom and divine nature. As the creator and sustainer, He knows much better than anyone the absolute best way to achieve the absolute best world. This is why Jesus said, “Only God is good.” Our relationship with God is based on our recognition of His divine goodness and our trusting Him to always have our best interest foremost in mind. That’s really what faith is all about. The author of Hebrews reminds us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. I’d say we can never please God without trusting him through circumstances and situations that are painful and don’t make sense to us. Third, God is not a tyrant. He did not create automatons who robotically obey God. He created humans with free will. He will not violate his creation by forcing His will on anyone. The greatest value of God is “Love.” We see that frequently affirmed in the Bible, but love is only love when offered freely. You cannot force anyone to love. You cannot take love from anyone.
Peter explains to us why God has allowed so much evil for so long. He says in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God is an ever-good God. God is an ever-loving God, God is a patient God. It will not go on like this forever. John tells us in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” We need to follow the Psalmist’s advice (Psalm 62:8), “Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each one of your concerns. God is our place of safety.”