Why does a good God allow such bad things to happen; often to seemingly innocent people?
As pain, loss and suffering affect our lives and the lives of those whom we love, it’s natural to wonder how a sovereign God could allow such things to happen.
We live in a world loaded with chaos:
Chaos between people and God
Chaos between between people and other people
Chaos between people and themselves
Chaos between people and all of creation.
How could God be in charge and the world be this chaotic?
We don’t have all of the answers, but first let’s broaden the question.
In most stories we read and in most movies we watch, there is common plotline:
1-The good guy likes to do good things.
2-The bad guy likes to do bad things.
3-One day, while the good guy is unaware, absent and unable to interfere, the bad guy decides to do bad things and innocent people are affected.
4-When the good guy becomes aware, present and empowered to interfere, he stops the bad guy.
This is NOT the plotline of the Bible.
God, the good guy, first gave angels the ability to choose chaos over God; and some did.
God, the good guy, initially created the earth in chaos.
God, the good guy, then gave mankind the choice to invite chaos into our reality
God, the good guy, allowed his enemy, Satan, to physically tempt the first man and woman.
And that’s God’s involvement with chaos before the fall of mankind!
God knows all things, is present in all things and has the power to affect all things.
And yet, we find God to be very, very present and at work with chaos.
It’s as if chaos is something that God uses for His glory and for our benefit.
Romans 8v28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
But how? How could pain be a part of God’s purposes for our benefit?
2 Corinthians 4v16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
1 Peter 4v1-2
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
James 1v2-12
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Luke 14v25-27
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Philippians 3v10-11
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Romans 5v2-5
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 8v18
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
1 Peter 1v6-9
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
John 15v1v1-2
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
2 Corinthians 12v6- 10
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
You see, God is present in every bit of chaos ever suffered by anyone made in His image.
The question is: are the ones who suffer aware of His presence?
And that’s where we come in.
We, the followers of Jesus, desire to be aware of spaces in which God is revealing Himself.
We want to expect to partner with God as we obey his calling into the lives of those who suffer chaos.
As we engage the chaos of our neighbors, we invite them to know God within us, a God who enters into their chaos as He has entered into our own. We bring with us the authority and power of the kingdom of heaven; able to be the conduit through which healing, counsel, peace and love can be made manifest.
Why does a good God allow such bad things to happen; often to seemingly innocent people?
Let’s engage the chaos.
Let’s join him and find out.