Why Does God Allow Evil Things to Happen?
The reasons why a loving God would allow so much evil in the world are a mystery and a stumbling block to faith for many people. Why do good people sometimes suffer terribly while evil people live lives of ease? These are very difficult things to understand, but the Bible does give some clues.
Physical Evil
Illness, pain, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters are examples of physical
evils. God may use physical evil to chastise individuals or nations and
lead them to repent (Isaiah 45:7, Genesis 6:13, Acts 13:9-11). Some physical evil may be the result of Adam's original
sin (Genesis 3:6, Romans 5:12-14). God may use physical evil for a higher purpose: to test us and prepare us for
glory (1 Peter 1:6-7, 5:10, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9), or to make us more compassionate (2 Corinthians 1:3-6). The
suffering we endure now will be more than compensated by the glory of eternal life (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Philippians
1:21-23). Physical evil is one means God uses to accomplish His work on earth (John 9:1-3). It is very difficult
to see any value in pain, suffering, loss of a loved one, disability, etc. However, these temporary evils are insignificant
on the time scale of eternity, and may just be a testing and preparation for better things to come.
Despite all this, the reason for most physical evil is simply unknown to us. Sometimes, we just have to put our trust in God and accept the fact that we can't understand why we have to suffer (Psalms 23:4, 31:7, Lamentations 3:31-33):
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (NAS, Isaiah 55:8–9 )
Moral Evil
Murder, war, terrorism, theft, greed, racism, discrimination, revenge, lying, deceit, slander, adultery and other
sexual immorality are examples of moral evils (Exodus
20:12-17, Deuteronomy 16:19, 1 Chronicles 22:8, Isaiah 2:4, Mark 7:21-22, Romans 12:17-19). Moral evil is caused
by our sinfulness and rebellion against God. It is the result of ignoring the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
and Jesus' command to "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:35-40, Romans 13:9, James 2:8). We
have the choice to be good or evil, and many choose to follow the ways of evil (James 1:13-15). God has chosen
not to intervene in our personal choices. Unfortunately, when some people choose the path of evil, others suffer
as a result. However, in eternity, the just will be rewarded and the evildoers will be punished. (Luke 16:19-31,
Romans 6:23). At all costs we should avoid participating in moral evil (Luke 17:1-2, Mark 9:43-47). We must also
avoid the temptation to retaliate or take revenge (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 5:43-48, 1 Peter 4:12-19, James 1:19-20).
How to Live with Evil
It is wrong to assume that someone who suffers is being punished for his or her sins (Job 1:1, 1:13-22, John 9:1-3).
In Biblical times, many people believed that someone who was poor or suffering was being punished by God for sins.
Conversely, wealth was believed to be a sign of God's favor. But Jesus' Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke
16:19-31) emphatically shows those beliefs to be wrong: The selfish rich man ended up in hell, but the poor beggar
Lazarus ended up in heaven.
Jesus said He did not come to eliminate evil from the world, but so that the kingdom of God can grow amid the evil of the world until the time when all evil is destroyed (Matthew 10:34-36, 13:24-30, 13:36-43). We cannot eliminate all evil in the world, but we can and should do our best to minimize the suffering it causes (Matthew 5:7, Acts 20:35, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ephesians 4:32, 1 John 3:17-18).
Although we cannot eliminate all evil and suffering, people who develop great faith in God often find an inner peace that simply overshadows the evils of the world and the suffering we endure (Psalms 4:8, 119:165, John 14:27, Matthew 5:4, 11:28-29, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 1 Peter 5:6-11):
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (NKJV, Psalms 23:4)I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. (NRSV, Romans 8:18 )