Why does God allow bad things to happen?

We often hear those around us make the argument that God simply can’t exist because if He did, He wouldn’t allow such suffering in the world.  I understand this argument especially coming from those who recently lost a loved one.  When things are that bad the world seems hopeless, and a hopeless world can only exist without a God, because God is the only hope we have.  It is important at that time to recognize that we still have hope, and a loving God and suffering can coexist. 

God gave us free will.  He did not want robots following Him only because He programed us to do so.  He created us to be a loving family that cared for each other for the right reasons.  This is no different than what an earthly father would hope for in his family, to love and care for each other of their own free will and not under compulsion.  How often were we told to apologize to a sibling and did so under compulsion through gritted teeth.  We could see the displeasure on our parents face as we fulfilled the letter of their demand, but not the true intent.  To eliminate suffering God would also have to eliminate the free will of those who would drive drunk, abandon their children, or fail to control their tempers.  God created us in His image as His children (Genesis 1:27, 2 Corinthians 6:18).  Part of being created in the image of God is having free will to choose good or evil. 

We have all seen how children who have never been without, never been allowed to fall, or to fail have turned out.  We recognize that to be a good parent is to prepare you child for life.  If they fail for the first time after they have moved out without you, you have failed as a parent, they will not know how to cope and will fail with greater consequences as an adult.  We recognize and are grateful to our parents for disciplining us, though at the time it was unpleasant.  We recognize that it was through that suffering we develop the character, wisdom, and patience that make us better.  We read of this in James and Romans.

James 1 2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Romans 5 3 And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

While the above does not make our suffering any less difficult, it does give us hope and something to keep moving forward towards.

We read further in the Psalms that He is with us while we are suffering and from 1 Corinthians that God will not allow us to be pressed further than we can endure.  He is there, ready to step in, just like a loving father.

1 Corinthians 10 13 No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Psalms 34 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The afflictions of the righteous are many, But the Lord rescues him from them all.

We must also recognize that the argument that God can not exist because there is so much suffering in the world is really an argument that God can not exist because He does not align with our expectations.  Most gods that man has created don’t concern themselves with human suffering and many thrive on it.  The problem we have is that we don’t understand why He doesn’t step in and save us when we want Him to.  This is what is so difficult to accept especially when we have been brought low and can’t see past the suffering we are in.  This is exactly the time that we must hold on to our only hope.  We must trust Him as we have learned to trust our fathers on Earth as we were children.  They did what was best for us in their eyes, we must trust God to do the same.

Hebrews 12 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

James 1 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

While I don’t believe that God causes the suffering, I do believe that He can use it to improve us and prepare us for eternal life with Him where there is no suffering. 

Romans 8 26 Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.