Why Evil? Why Suffering?
“‘See now that I, even I, am he,
Deuteronomy 32:39
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
Exodus 4:11
37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,
Lamentations 3:37-38
unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
6 Is a trumpet blown in a city,
Amos 3:6
and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster come to a city,
unless the Lord has done it?
On Father’s Day, my boys and I decided to go on a mountain bike ride. However, it wasn’t all fun and games. After only thirty minutes, we hit a huge hill that they were all too familiar with. We had attempted it before, but never succeeded. The whining and complaining began, with my boys pleading with me not to make them go up the hill again. But, as any good father would do, I lovingly convinced them to try once more.
We started the ascent, but it didn’t take long before their little legs couldn’t take it anymore. So, we turned back and went down the hill. This was the fun part for them, and I decided to capitalize on it. I suggested we go up and down the bottom part of the hill a few more times. They were hesitant and complained, but eventually agreed. As we repeated the process, they began to notice the pay-off of multiple roller coaster rides down the hill.
The boys were enduring something difficult, something painful. I was bringing evil into their lives. But they endured because they trusted me. I had shown them over and over that I always had their best interests in mind. They believed me when I said it would all be worth it in the end. Endure the uphill battle and enjoy the downhill joys, I told them. I had a plan, a reason for making them endure such evil. They were getting stronger with every painful push of the pedals, and being prepared for something great.
Later in the day, I sent my boys to have a talk with good old Uncle James.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[a] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
And a word from dear Uncle Paul.
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
Rom 5:3-4
And…
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Rom 8:18
And…
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:28
My plan in making my children endure this hardship is simple. I know they may not enjoy it now, and in fact, they may hate it. They hate going up that hill, but I know the great joy that awaits them once they reach the top. They are going to faithfully endure this suffering now in order to receive a greater reward later. The joy of finally conquering that hill! In the end, they probably won’t even remember the pain they felt during the strengthening process, as the details of a dream fade away into the light of morning.
But I will remember, and I will be so proud to welcome them to the top of that hill. I can’t wait to greet them as they reach the peak and say, “Well done, my good and faithful children. Enter into the joy that comes with enduring to the end.”
In Him, with love,
mike
