Biblical Answer

Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?

The question of why God allows evil to exist in the world has puzzled many people. If God is love and desires the best for humanity, why does He permit bad things to happen? One possible reason is that God wants us to have free will, which means we have the ability to make choices and decisions that affect our lives. This free will allows us to love God and others, but it also means that we can choose to reject God and do evil. God's sovereignty over the world means that He is in control of all circumstances, and He chooses to bless people, discipline them, or allow evil to affect their lives.

Another reason why God allows evil is that He wants to demonstrate His justice and righteousness. The Bible says that God is holy and just, and He will not tolerate sin and evil in His presence. When evil occurs, it is a reminder of the consequences of sin and the need for redemption. Furthermore, God's allowing evil can be a means of testing our faith and trust in Him. Just as a parent may allow their child to experience some hardships in order to teach them valuable lessons, God may allow evil to occur in order to teach us valuable lessons about Himself and our relationship with Him.

Ultimately, we may not fully understand why God allows evil, but we can trust in His goodness and sovereignty. The Bible says that God's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We can trust that God is working everything out for our good, even when we don't understand what is happening (Romans 8:28). By trusting in God's goodness and sovereignty, we can find peace and comfort in the midst of evil and suffering. We can also use these experiences as opportunities to grow in our faith and to share the hope of the Gospel with others.