If God is so powerful, why does evil exist?
Wounds hurt deeply
When listening to a person who has been deeply wounded by life, it is difficult to give a satisfactory explanation for the existence of evil. Platitudes come easy but fall hard upon wounded hearts. This is especially true when the hearts and souls have been shattered by the evil of child sexual abuse. Yet, it is a question that demands an answer.
Freedom
One might as easily and understandably ask, If God is so loving, why does evil exist? It is an equally heart rending question when asked by a child or an adult who was wounded as a child. However, it is the best place to begin to answer both questions. The answer is one based on logic. Feelings find it in adequate. None the less, it is valid.
The God of the Bible has love as His number one value and priority. In order for love to be the real thing and not just an instinct or requirement of some kind, there must be freedom. Love that isn’t freely given or freely received isn’t love at all. If one must have the freedom to choose love then the freedom to choose harm, evil, and hate automatically exist. There is no other way around it.
The Difference
The difference between the power of love and the power of evil and hate is portrayed well in the sci-fi Star Wars movies. This is not to suggest The Force of Star Wars is somehow God. Yet there is a certain helpful analogy. The Dark Side seems more powerful. It kills with great swiftness. It can destroy whole planets in the blink of an eye. It builds great machines and armies of robots. However, The Force’s other side works for good. It nourishes life, harmony, serenity and peace.
God Bless the Grass
There is a great song called God Bless the Grass. It describes the persistent power of life. Though they pour concrete over it and think that it is gone the grass just keeps coming back. It is true in my driveway. Asphalt went down hot, hard, and fast coving everything in its path. In the end, however, it is the power of life in grass and vines that is winning the turf battle. Even an occasional dousing with Round-up is only partially successful.
So it is with all of life. Hate and evil may seem to be more powerful. The damage they wreck on us is tremendous. Yet, they can only destroy. They can’t create life. They maybe fast but time is on our side. Love wins in the end. In the meantime God did not want us to suffer alone. So he came himself in the person of Jesus to share our suffering and pave the way for our ultimate victory over evil, pain, and death.
I do not know how helpful this explanation may be in the midst of the pain. My faith is when we look for him in the darkness, we can find the suffering Jesus Christ by our side.
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