The Goodness of God

QUESTION: The Goodness of God vs Suffering - How can the goodness of God be true when there is so much evil in the world?

ANSWER:

The Bible is very realistic when it talks about the goodness of God vs. the evil or suffering that happens in this world. In fact, the entire book of Job is dedicated to this theme. During the book, we see Job plagued with one trial after another. His entire life during this time was characterized by suffering. His friends attempt to explain it, but Job continues to trust God's goodness. This book teaches us that we may never know the purpose behind the suffering, but we can trust our sovereign God.

The Bible tells us that God is good in Psalm 107:1, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. All good things come from Him. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17). We need to remember that God is not the author of evil, but that evil is the result of sin.

From the time Adam chose to disobey God until this day, the world is full of sin. Sinful people commit evil acts. And God gives us free will to make our own decisions, along with accountability and consequences for the choices we make.

But God’s goodness is available to us in the greatest gift of all—salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. If we accept this wonderful gift, God will begin performing good works in our lives. We will begin to change; we will have a desire for good things and want to do good for others.

The Goodness of God – God's Ways are Higher
Isaiah 55:9 says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." When suffering invades our lives, it is difficult to focus on God and the plan He might have in our trial. Most Christians can look on times of trial, sickness, and hardship and see how they grew closer to God or learned how to truly value their life and those around them.

It is important to remember that God is still good, even when we are suffering.

Could God prevent all suffering? Of course. But He assures us that “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). So even suffering is part of the “all things” that God is using to accomplish His good purposes. His plan is perfect, His character is flawless, and those who trust Him will not be disappointed.

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