Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen?
Many people wonder why an all-loving, all-powerful God allows bad things like natural disasters, diseases, wars and other tragedies to occur. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: God allows bad things because He has given humans free will, and also to strengthen our faith and build character.
However, God does promise that He can bring good even out of terrible circumstances for those who love Him.
In this comprehensive, 3000 word article, we will explore the complex question of why God allows suffering in great detail. We will examine theological perspectives, Bible passages, examples from history, scientific explanations and personal stories to help you better understand this age-old question.
The Problem of Evil and Suffering
The Existence of God and the Reality of Evil Seem Contradictory
The problem of evil and suffering has perplexed humankind for ages. At its core is an apparent contradiction between an omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent God and the existence of terrible suffering in our world. How could a good and all-powerful God allow such atrocities to occur?
This philosophical dilemma has caused many believers and non-believers alike to question the existence of God.
Some examples that seem to present a contradiction include the prevalence of natural disasters, diseases, and wars. If God can prevent these tragedies but does not, it calls into question God’s omnibenevolence. If God wishes to prevent evil but cannot, it suggests limits on God’s omnipotence.
Therefore, God may not possess all of the attributes commonly ascribed to a deity.
Examples of Terrible Suffering Throughout History
History contains numerous examples of human and animal suffering that shock the conscience and test faith:
- Natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods that indiscriminately kill thousands
- Diseases that have ravaged populations, such as smallpox, polio, and the bubonic plague
- Horrific acts of violence like the Holocaust, genocide, terrorist attacks, and school shootings
- Wars and oppression that have led to the loss of millions of innocent lives
In the face of such devastating tragedies, one cannot help but ask: How could an all-loving God allow such terrible suffering?
Why This Question Is So Challenging for Believers and Non-Believers Alike
Wrestling with why a benevolent God permits suffering has challenged theologians, philosophers, and average people for millennia. Here are some reasons why:
- It involves complex philosophical reasoning about the nature of God, good and evil, and human free will.
- There are no easy answers – simplistic explanations often ring hollow.
- It requires grappling with some of life’s deepest questions that may not have definitive answers.
- It forces us to confront the existence of horrific evil and innocent suffering head-on.
- It requires maintaining faith in God’s goodness despite the lack of complete understanding.
This profound question does not have a straightforward resolution. Yet wrestling with it deeply can lead to spiritual growth, self-reflection, and a stronger connection with the divine for believers. It also serves as an existential dilemma that all of humanity must grapple with in the quest to find meaning amidst suffering.
Theological Perspectives from Christianity
Free Will and Human Sin
Many Christian theologians argue that God allows suffering because He gave humans free will. According to this view, God could have created a world without suffering, but that would require eliminating human free will and autonomy.
Humans would essentially be robots programmed to always make the right choices. However, God wanted us to freely choose to love and obey Him, which allows for the possibility of sin and evil. The suffering we experience is ultimately the result of human sinfulness and rebellion against God’s ways.
To Build Character and Faith
Suffering can serve to refine and strengthen a person’s faith and character. Hardships provide opportunities to grow in virtues like patience, courage, humility, compassion, and dependence on God. The Bible says that trials produce perseverance and “perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3-4).
Suffering helps strip away superficiality and produces mature disciples of Jesus. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
As a Consequence of Natural Laws and the Fallen World
We live in a fallen, broken world corrupted by sin where accidents, natural disasters, disease and other hardships are normal occurrences. God does not cause evil and suffering, but He does allow them as consequences of humanity’s original rebellion against Him.
The laws of nature sometimes produce events that cause human pain and anguish. While God could supernaturally intervene more, He generally allows nature to take its course rather than constantly suspending the natural order.
To Bring About an Ultimate Good
God is sovereign and can use any circumstance for an ultimately good purpose. In the Bible, Joseph told his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20).
Even in the most dire situations, God is working to redeem suffering and tragedy to bring about something positive. For example, Roman persecution caused early Christians to scatter and spread the Gospel to new regions.
While we may not understand how, God promises that for those who love Him, “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28).
Bible Passages Addressing Suffering
Old Testament Verses About Suffering
Several Old Testament passages acknowledge and grapple with the existence of human suffering. For example, the Book of Job grapples with why righteous people suffer, ultimately pointing to God’s sovereignty and humanity’s limited understanding.
Ecclesiastes 4:1 states that oppression and suffering is prevalent, bringing the question of why God allows this. The Psalms also frequently lament suffering, with Psalm 22 being an especially vivid portrayal of Christ’s suffering to come.
Overall, the Old Testament recognizes the complex questions raised by suffering in the world God created.
New Testament Verses About Suffering
In the New Testament, Christ himself was prophesied to be a “man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3), and the Gospels portray his suffering in detail leading up to the crucifixion. Verses like John 16:33, Acts 14:22, and Philippians 1:29 acknowledge that believers will face troubles in this world.
However, the redemption through Christ’s suffering provides meaning, and the Holy Spirit brings comfort amidst hardship. The New Testament promises that God can redeem suffering for purposes like refinement and producing perseverance and character within believers.
Still, biblical authors themselves grappled to understand suffering at times, as evidenced by Paul pleading for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Examples of Biblical Characters Who Suffered
Many major biblical characters endured forms of suffering, with God ultimately using it for his glory and purposes. For example:
- Joseph – Sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongfully imprisoned – later rose to authority in Egypt to save his family (Genesis 37-50)
- Job – Lost livestock, wealth, children, and health virtually overnight – remained faithful, with multiplied blessings afterward (Book of Job)
- David – Endured scorn, threats, persecution from Saul and his own son Absalom – became Israel’s greatest king (1-2 Samuel)
- Jeremiah – Prophesied coming destruction; opposed and imprisoned – but vindicated by the fulfillment (Book of Jeremiah)
- Daniel – Exiled as a youth; thrown into lions’ den for his faith – risen to power in foreign kingdom (Book of Daniel)
- Paul – Imprisoned, beaten, persecuted, and shipwrecked for spreading the Gospel – wrote 13 New Testament letters from prison (Acts 13-28)
Despite intense trials, these biblical figures largely responded to adversity with faith in God. Their stories give hope that God permits suffering and can use it for greater purposes in people’s lives and in redemptive history.
For further reading on related topics, visit websites like GotQuestions.org and the Gospel Coalition.
Scientific Explanations for Natural Evils and Disasters
Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes/Tsunamis
The movement of the Earth’s plates causes strains that build up over time and eventually cause earthquakes along fault lines. For example, the Pacific Ring of Fire has frequent quakes due to the collision of tectonic plates.
When quakes occur under the ocean, they can displace massive volumes of water, creating devastating tsunamis. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are around 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year, about 100,000 of which can be felt.
While terrible, they are a natural phenomenon arising from plate tectonics.
Weather and Climate Events
Extreme weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and droughts can cause great damage. However, they arise from natural atmospheric and oceanic processes. For example, hurricanes form over warm tropical waters and gain strength from latent heat energy.
Climate change is increasing certain risks – a 2022 IPCC report found that climate change has caused some regions to experience more frequent and intense floods, droughts, or heatwaves.
Disease and Parasites
Infectious diseases and parasites harm human health but are part of the ecology of microbes and have natural reservoirs. About 75% of new diseases originate from animals, enabled by mutation, horizontal gene transfer, and recombination of pathogens.
Environmental disruption and exploitation of wildlife increases contact between humans and animals, raising the risk of “spillover” events. Still, WHO notes that human behavior is largely responsible for infectious disease occurrence rather than happenstance.
Animal Predation and Food Webs
The suffering experienced by prey species arises from an ecological food web shaped by evolution. Predators hunt to sustain themselves and regulate prey populations. While gruesome when viewed anthropomorphically, predation balances ecosystems.
Alterations to food webs through environmental changes or loss of apex predators can destabilize ecosystems. As National Geographic notes, top predators like wolves even alter the physical landscape and ecosystem functioning by regulating herbivore grazing behavior.
Evidence That God Can Use Suffering for Good
Stories of People Who Found Faith Through Suffering
Suffering often leads people to search for meaning and purpose in life. When faced with tragedy or loss, many turn to faith and find comfort in God’s presence. Victor Frankl’s experience in a Nazi concentration camp led him to develop logotherapy, which helps people find meaning in suffering.
Immaculée Ilibagiza credits her Catholic faith for sustaining her during the Rwandan genocide. Countless others have found God in rehab, in hospitals, or in the depths of depression. As evangelist Billy Graham said, “I have learned now that while those who speak about God’s Kingdom seldom win popularity contests, they win something more important: the hearing ear of the suffering.”
Character Development and Spiritual Growth
Going through trials can build patience, empathy, resilience, and trust in God. James 1:2-4 (NIV) says, “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.” Suffering helps strip away superficial concerns and priorities, challenging people to rely on faith rather than worldly comforts.
Christians believe God uses pain to refine and strengthen character, like a blacksmith uses fire to purify metal. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
Bringing People Together and Outpourings of Compassion
Tragedies often unite people in extraordinary ways. After natural disasters like tsunamis, hurricanes or earthquakes, complete strangers work together to rescue, feed, and shelter victims. Countless nonprofit organizations are founded by people who turn personal loss into humanitarian missions.
MAVI MARMARA, a Turkish ship bringing aid to Gaza in 2010, was attacked by the Israeli military, killing 10 activists. But this inspired people worldwide to participate in future aid flotillas, bringing global attention to the Palestinian cause.
While hearts break over images of drowned refugees, volunteers mobilize across borders to provide food, water, and medicine. Even in everyday life, sharing burdens can build friendships and fellowship between people.
As 1 Corinthians 12:26 (NLT) says, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the question of why God allows bad things to happen has been pondered for millennia with many perspectives offered. We examined theological explanations like free will, character development, natural consequences of laws and bringing about greater goods.
We also looked at scientific reasons for natural disasters and predation as well as examples of how God has used suffering to inspire heroic virtue and compassion.
While we may never fully understand the complexity of this issue during our earthly life, we can find comfort in God’s presence alongside us through the trials and reassurance of an eternal paradise free of tears for those who put their trust in Him.
This article aimed to provide detailed theological, scientific and personal explanations to help shed more light on the age-old question of understanding evil and suffering from a Christian viewpoint. Let the insights gained bring you hope amidst the pain.
