I would hazard to guess that everyone in the world has wondered this. Many times the thought goes something to the effect of "if there is a loving God then why is there so much suffering in the world?" And, I am among those people who have thought this.
Ecclesiastes 3:19- For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
But, let us expound on this before we draw judgment on God.
I believe that the answer lies in free will. You see, when God created this world there was nothing evil in it- not even the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Knowledge is not bad. Obtaining knowledge is not bad. So, how then did this tree bring evil in the world?
Adam and Eve had the ability to make choices without God stepping in and telling them what to do. Why is this important? We shall see that free will is the answer.
Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit. That choice was the sin, not the knowledge that the fruit contained. It was the choice to rebel against God's Word on a matter and do their own will instead that brought the curse of sin and suffering.
I Timothy 2:14- And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Why is the ability to choose such an important one? Because of love.
Adam chose to eat the fruit when he knew full well that he was doing it in rebellion to God because he loved Eve. Eve was deceived, and when she offered Adam the fruit she still wasn't fully aware of her transgression, but Adam was. Adam knew exactly what he was doing. He counted the cost and decided that Eve was worth it.
Imagine that you could make someone love you. You could make them completely devoted to you. Would it be worth it. You may say "yes" at first. But, in time you would wonder if they had the choice to be there, would they? If someone lifted the spell would they leave?
Song of Solomon 8:7- Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
Isn't it much more wonderful that some person loves you will all your faults and all your flaws. That they've seen much prettier, smarter, more successful people and yet they still decided you were worth their love?
I believe that's how God feels, too. He could have made man to blindly follow and adore Him, but would that truly be love? Would that mindless devotion be worth it?
Mark 12:33- And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
God looked through time at all the horrible things that would happen because of our ability to choose and He counted the cost to be a worthy one to pay for someone to choose to love Him.
Do you sit in judgement on God?
He, also, made the choice. He came down to the earth as a man and felt what being human was like. He was cold, tired, hungry. He felt suffering, pain, betrayal. He understood the confusion and the uncertainty of emotions. And, when He was in the garden facing the moment right before the betrayal that cruelly led to his torturous death He made the choice to allow it because of love. He chose to love you.
Romans 5:8- But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He could at any time force anyone to do His will, but that would take away the one thing that He counted worthy of losing His perfect world- your choice.
You have the free will to choose to do good or evil. You have the choice to love God or blame Him. You have the right to decide how to live your life.
But, beware- there is a cost.
The cost for God was the destruction of His perfect creation.
Romans 5:12, 18-19- Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
God chose to allow sin and rebellion to give us a free will. Jesus chose to suffer and die to pay the redemption price for Adam's sin. And, we get to choose because of this.
Humans can now make the decision to create weapons, chaos, suffering, disease, pain, etc. That's why these things exist, because man kind chooses them. We choose our paths in life. We decide whether to be kind or cruel. It's up to us to make the world a better place or a living nightmare.
The cost for man is his eternity.
Choose to love God or blame Him. Choose to accept the payment He made for your sins or try to pay for them on your own. Choose to spend your eternity in Heaven with God or Hell without Him.
The choice is yours. It's your right.
Deuteronomy 30:19- I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
