"Why does God allow suffering and evil?" is the most common question you'll hear from an unbeliever or someone who questions his/her faith. As Christians, we've also wondered the same thing, but our faith is stronger than our doubts and we believe there is a reason for this. So, why will the all-knowing and all-powerful Lord let us suffer here on Earth? Here are the possible answers.
Free Will
Despite being all-knowing, God gave mankind free will to be able to decide on their own. Bear in mind that evil and suffering is a direct consequence of sin, which was man's doing in the first place when Adam disobeyed God back in Genesis. Technically, God isn't responsible for the suffering, but evil is. Although we have been saved from sin when Jesus died on the cross, our suffering still continues. This is where God put our free will to the test. Will you make the right or wrong choice?
Even though God knows what will happen if we make the wrong choice, He cannot simply intervene. If that happens, that will mean two things. For one, our free will isn't exactly free will anymore. And the other is that people won't be accountable for their own decisions and will not learn from the consequences. We are not God's puppets; free will is a beautiful gift. This is why evil and suffering still exist so we can lean on God, use our free will, and make the right decisions.
The World is Evil
In the beginning, our world was perfect. But when sin came in the way, the world instantly became corrupt and wicked. As time went on, the world got even more corrupt and wicked. Simply put, the world we live in now is evil.
Remember when God asked Noah to build an ark because He sent a flood and wiped out mankind then? We're waiting for something similar – the Second Coming. The world will be renewed when God comes back. But for now, this is a broken world and is in transition. In Revelation 8, it described the angel's trumpets. The verse meant that the worst is yet to come. God will wait for evil to take over and that's when He will intervene and save us.
God is the Only Way
What does it mean when we say God loves us? Does this mean that God's obligation is to keep us happy and allow us to live comfortably? God is like our parents. They love us, but they don't spoil us. God lets us go through tough circumstances because in a way, He wants you to know more about Him and love Him despite what you're going through.
There have been several Bible verses that talk about how God will comfort you and give you strength. This is very true. If you know that God is the only way, you'll be assured that you will spend eternity with Him after suffering here on earth... because that's what truly matters.
To add, when God comes back, He promised that He will wipe the tears from our eyes. Can you just imagine that moment? After all the evil and suffering, you meet the Lord, hold His hands, and go to Paradise with Him? Doesn't it make all the suffering worth the fight for Him? Yes, yes it does.
Unfortunately, evil and suffering will not end unless God comes back to save us. But until then, we will fight the good fight knowing God is on our side. There are reasons why we suffer, but even if we cannot know what these reasons are, we have to trust and believe that God intended it this way for a much higher purpose than we can all think of.
