"Why, God?": Finding Faith When Life Doesn't Make Sense

June 6th, 2025

How do we reconcile the existence of a benevolent, almighty God, and the existence of so much suffering, pain, and evil in the world He created? This is a tough question. In today's blog, Bob Gillespie tackles one aspect of the answer to help us make sense of tragedies as we navigate life in a sin-cursed world.

"Why, God?": Finding Faith When Life Doesn't Make Sense

Neil deGrasse Tyson states that the best evidence to be an atheist is pediatric cancer. If there is a loving god, why would he allow such a thing? (To watch his video on this topic, click HERE.)

When Pain Challenges Our Faith

When tragic events occur, even Christians sometimes use the same logic. “I prayed fervently for healing, so why would God allow such a thing to happen?” Our cry is much like Martha’s in John 11 when she proclaimed, “Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” In our disillusionment, we are tempted to turn our backs on God.

In times of sorrow, it is challenging to see and think clearly. Our emotions can obstruct our perspective. However, God wants us to turn to His word, particularly during these troublesome times. There, we learn about God’s nature and the reasons behind suffering in our world.

From Perfection to Brokenness: Why the World Hurts

Our first introduction to God is in Genesis 1. There, He tells us that He is all-powerful. He did not need billions of years of natural processes to create; He simply spoke, and a universe of galaxies came into existence. During that first week, He filled the oceans with schools of fish, the sky with flocks of birds, and the land with various animals. He continued to create a perfect world for His crowning achievement—Adam, a man created in His image, a reflection of Himself. Then He walked and talked with Adam and Eve daily in that perfect world. The environment He created for Adam and Eve was free of pain and death, allowing them to enjoy perfect fellowship with their Creator. In Genesis, we see that God is not only all-powerful but also the very definition of goodness. As descendants of Adam and Eve, we could have enjoyed that same perfection for eternity.

What caused the perfect world created for us to turn so evil? Scripture tells us that Adam and Eve sinned. As a result, the earth was cursed; sin brought about death and suffering. Now we live in a world under the rule of Satan, who became the god of this world. There are those who might respond this way, “Chill out, God, isn’t that an overkill for eating the wrong fruit?” Here is where we need to step back and realize that not only is God the picture of perfection, but He also sets the standard for absolute holiness. In a perfect world, any rebellion against God creates a horrible stain. God is holy, but also just; there are consequences for going against His holiness.

History reveals that in a world controlled by Satan, sin and evil works festered out of control. Over 1500 years passed; God had had enough. In Noah's days, we read that every thought was evil continually. It's difficult to imagine what it was like, but later we glimpse the depravity of mankind when Canaanites sacrificed infants to their god. God judged the Canaanites then, and He also judged Noah's world with a global flood, destroying all flesh except those on the ark. The point is, God allows us to live in this sin-cursed world, which reaps the consequences of sin. But God seems to have a limit, as He intervenes and stops the most horrific things that people can conceive and do.

Today, we still live in a sin-cursed world, where terrible things happen. But remember, it could be worse, and it will get worse. We are told that in the time before Jesus returns, things will again be as they were in the Days of Noah. “Every thought will be evil continually.” God will once again step in and judge the world. If we have trusted in Jesus, we will be saved from that judgment, just as Noah and his family were saved from the flood.

God's bigger Picture: A Plan of Redemption

So, where is God in all of this? We tend to look at things through our own perspective. How has it affected me and my family? Let’s be clear, amid life’s tragedies, we should remember that it could be much worse. That is why God tells us to be thankful in the midst of sorrow, for we have so much for which to be thankful. We know that Satan can only act within the sphere that God allows. God is holding back evil until the time of His wrath.

But again, what about today? While God is compassionate and cares for us in our sorrows, He is what you might call a big-picture guy. He sees everything—past, present, and future—and He has a long-term plan. God loves us immensely. His ultimate goal is to restore everything to what it was like in the Garden of Eden. He desires for us all to live in a perfect world with perfect fellowship with Him.

You may say, “What about us today?” God has a big picture plan for us today as well. (This is the key. If you get this, everything else falls into place.) His goal for us is to be conformed to the image of Christ. We are to grow in Him and continually be like Him. This, even with the sorrows of life, is all for His glory, and it also benefits us here and now. We are told that tragedies and sorrows are not without purpose, for God uses them to change us into the image of His Son. While we are living with the consequences of sin and waiting for God to make everything good again, we know that God is in control and has a plan for our lives.

“Suffering comes to all men on the earth. It is a fact … from man’s rebellion and separation from the Lord in the Garden. It is written that one day you will see Messiah wipe away every tear—no more suffering and no more death. Meanwhile, those who love God are not exempt from pain. But for the righteous man to suffer? Think of it! Only the wise vinedresser knows what will make the best wine. The vine is stressed—it reaches deep for the water, the shoots are pruned, the clusters are thinned, and in the end, the fruit is richer and the wine is full of character and grace. Though the growing may be difficult, God will be glorified at the end of every righteous man’s story.”

---(Thoene, Brock and Bodie. When Jesus Wept. Zondervan, 2013, Grand Rapids. Kindle File.)

Responding with Faith: What Will Your Legacy Be?

What are we to do today during these tragedies? If our minds are stayed on Him, we can soar like eagles. We can live in thankfulness, praise, and joy when we see things from God’s perspective. You must answer this question for yourself. Does tragedy bring you closer to God or further away? Does tragedy cause you to become more like Christ? Do others see in you a calm, secure faith, or do they see you weighed down with bitterness and disillusionment?

My goal is for the next generation to remember me as an example of peace and calm trust in the midst of the unthinkable. Will you join me in that goal?

To delve more into this topic, we want to encourage you to get a copy of our Glad You Asked! Answers to 28 Tough Questions Teens Are Asking About God and the Bible, Volume 1, in which Dr. Juan Valdes addresses this question as it pertains to all faiths and shows how the Christian worldview is the one that offers the best context and solution to the problem of pain and suffering. Just click HERE to order yours now.

Author Bio:
Bob and his wife Lois graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio. Bob then received his master’s degree at Clark’s Summit Seminary in PA. They spent 14 years teaching in Christian schools in Ohio and another ten years teaching missionary kids in West Africa. Upon leaving Africa, the Gillespies felt God’s calling to join full-time apologetics ministry. Learn more about Bob and his ministry by clicking HERE.