The Problem of Evil and the Question of Why

The problem of evil is an issue that has been around since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden and is still something millions of people have struggled to find an answer to this very day. From the time I was old enough to understand the mystery, I constantly questioned why God would allow people to suffer. I thought if God is truly omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, then how can suffering exist, or at least to good people. Peter Kreeft, in his book Making Sense Out of Suffering puts it this way, “Therefore either he doesn’t care, and then he is not all good; or he doesn’t know, and then he is not all wise; or he isn’t able to, and then he is not all powerful” (Kreeft, p. 8). This argument is the biggest argument for atheism and the same argument that was presented to me during a conversation I recently had.

A few months ago, I found out that one of my best friends (whom I grew up in youth group with) had recently renounced his belief in God. The news was difficult to handle and I started to work up the courage to talk with him about what he now believes and why. Over this past spring break, I had the opportunity to drive to Florida with him and in the car, I really felt God lay it on my heart to start the conversation. My friend had many questions surrounding his disbelief, and amongst them was the question of suffering. We had been talking for about an hour when he brought up his biggest reason for his skepticism in God. He told me, “I want to believe, but I just cannot believe in a God that allows innocent people to suffer. Is He just sitting on his thrown in Heaven deciding who gets cancer and who does not? Why would I want to trust a God like that?” I sat there in silence for a couple minutes because I wanted to be...

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...t on some of the questions he is asking. At the end of the conversation, he seemed to be responsive and I could see that he was less unsatisfied than the first time we spoke. Following the conversation, I prayed for him and have since been praying that God will speak to him in someway. I understand that I alone will not be able to change his mind, rather, I can only present the information to him and the Holy Spirit has to change his heart. Please be praying for my friend and our future conversations.

Works Cited

Augustine. & Dods, M. (2009). The city of God. Lawrence, Kan: Digireads.com Pub.

Barker, K. L. (2002). Zondervan NIV study Bible: New International Version (Fully rev. ed.). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.

Kreeft, Peter (2011-07-17). Making Sense Out of Suffering (Kindle Locations 816-820). St. Anthony Messenger Press, Servant Books. Kindle Edition.