This is definitely one of the most difficult questions we find ourselves asking as believers. We know that God is powerful; we know that He is good; so why does He allow such bad things to happen?
Here's the thing: God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is everywhere and knows everything from the beginning of time to the end. How could we human beings, who are severely limited in our perspective, ever truly understand God’s ways?
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither 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." —Isaiah 55:8-9
The book of Job deals with the problem of bad things happening in life when we know God could just say a word and make it go away. In this story, God allows Satan to do everything he wanted to Job--except kill him. So Satan did it all. He destroyed Job's land, murdered his family, and even gave him a horrible disease.
When Job's friends came around and said, "What did you do to make God so mad at you?", Job did not curse God at all. He said, "Though [God can] slay me, yet will I hope in him" (Job 13:15). Later, he says, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised" (Job 1:21). What crazy faith he had!
Remember that Job did not understand why God had allowed the things He did, but he DID know that God was good, so he continued to trust in Him. Ultimately, that should be our response to bad things in our lives as well.
"Even 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." —Psalm 23:4
I know that all of this sounds well and good in words, but it doesn't make the sun shine any brighter on a stormy day, does it? The Bible says that all things work together for for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). And yet, sometimes it's hard to accept that as a "good enough" reason for our agony. Life hurts so badly sometimes. Life brings so much suffering. We find ourselves crying out, "Why, why, why does God allow it?"
Even if we can't see the good purpose in it, even when everything seems like it's going wrong and we or the people we love are in pain or grief, we must trust that what is happening is a part of God's ultimate plan. God sees a much bigger picture than we do, and He has complete sovereignty (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
Sometimes His plan hurts, but that doesn't mean it's the wrong course of action. Sometimes the consequences of others' (or our own) actions cause us harm, yet God still chooses to take care of us.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." —Proverbs 3:5-6
God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is everywhere and knows everything from the beginning of time to the end. How could we human beings, who are severely limited in our perspective, ever truly understand God’s ways? The Bible says that all things happen for the glory of God (Romans 8:28). Yes, sometimes that's just not a "good enough" reason because life often really hurts. But even if we can't see the good purpose in it, we must trust that what is happening is for the best because God sees a much bigger picture than we do (Ecclesiastes 7:14; Proverbs 3:5-6).
Cat is the web producer and editor of 412teens.org. She is known as "412teens" on the 412teens Discord. She loves audiobooks, feeding the people she cares about, and using Christmas lights to illuminate a room. When Catiana is not cooking, gardening, or practicing creativity, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, five socially-awkward cats, and her amazing friend-amily.
