Why Do Bad Things Happen If God Is Supposed to Be Good?
“If God is so loving and powerful, why does He let terrible things like cancer, abuse, or disasters happen? Couldn’t He just stop it?”
“If God really loves me, why does He let me hurt so much? Why do innocent people suffer while some evil people seem to get away with everything? If He’s all-powerful, why doesn’t He just fix the world? If He’s all-loving, why does it feel like He’s not stepping in? And if He doesn’t stop evil, is it because He can’t… or because He doesn’t care? Sometimes it makes me wonder if God is really good — or even real at all.”
God didn’t create evil, and He isn’t the source of suffering — but in Jesus, He has already defeated it and promises a day when it will be gone forever.
The problem of evil and suffering questions how an all-loving, all-powerful, and all-knowing God can allow the existence of evil and suffering in the world. Our understanding of God's nature, human free will, and the spiritual realities at play offers a comprehensive response.
God’s Love and Sovereignty: God is inherently good and loving. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). His intentions toward humanity are for good (Jeremiah 29:11). Yet His sovereignty works in harmony with human free will.
Free Will: God gave people freedom to choose (Genesis 2:16–17). Love only works if it’s freely chosen — and that means people can choose evil. Sin entered through human disobedience (Genesis 3), fracturing creation and unleashing both moral and natural evil.
The Role of Satan and Demons: Satan is described as “a murderer from the beginning” and “the father of lies” (John 8:44). His goal is to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). Demons work alongside him, spreading destruction. Scripture calls this spiritual warfare: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but… against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).
Victory in Christ: On the cross, Jesus defeated evil decisively (Colossians 2:15). Evil still lingers, but its end is guaranteed. Believers share in this victory through prayer and the Spirit’s power (Luke 10:19; James 4:7).
Purpose in Suffering: Suffering can refine us. “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3–4; James 1:2–4). God can redeem suffering for good (Romans 8:28) and use it to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
Eternal Perspective: Suffering is temporary compared to eternal glory (Romans 8:18). Scripture promises a day when “He will wipe every tear… no more death or sorrow or pain” (Revelation 21:4).
Conclusion: Evil and suffering don’t mean God is absent. They reveal the weight of human freedom and the reality of spiritual battle. But through Jesus’ death and resurrection, suffering has a purpose, evil’s defeat is certain, and eternity holds the promise of complete restoration
The REAL Question
The real question isn’t just why bad things happen — it’s what will you do with the God who chose to suffer for you? You may not get every answer to why pain exists, but you do get a God who refused to leave you alone in it. Jesus took on the worst evil and pain the world could throw at Him so that it would not have the final word in your life. The question is: will you keep blaming God from a distance, or will you bring your pain to Him and let Him carry it with you?