The late great Tom Petty sang:
“The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you get one more yard
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part
Yeah, the waiting is the hardest part”
Isn’t it true? Waiting is hard. Waiting on God can be very hard.
Some of the most common questions Christians are asked (or ask themselves) are about the seeming contradiction between God’s goodness and human suffering are really about waiting on God to do something, generally to do what we want him to do.
- Why would a good God allow innocent people to suffer?
- Why do bad things happen to good people?
- If God really loves us, why doesn’t He take away suffering?
These questions, and many others like them, haunt many people. There seems to be no good answer. But, is that truly the case? We can boil it down to – “God…why do we have to wait for you to act?”
There is a lot to unpack behind these questions (or more accurately, demands). But first, notice that there are several assumptions:
- God hasn’t acted yet
- God may or may not care
- God isn’t who I believe him to be
- God has to act how and when I want him to, in order for me to consider him to be good
The answers some have received to these questions (and assumptions) do not always fully satisfy. The right answer (which still may not satisfy all) if found in a right understanding of who God is. To really understand the issues surrounding evil, God’s nature, how God acts, and our role in it all – we have to dive into exploring the nature of evil first.
WHAT IS EVIL?
Evil is not a thing. In fact, it is a lack of something. Evil is a lack of goodness. Just as darkness is a lack of light, so evil is a lack of goodness. When we think of it this way, we see that God, who is good by His nature, did not “create” of “invent” evil. Rather, it is the failure of humans to be good which allows evil to enter into existence.
Furthermore, the reason death and physical suffering exist is because there is spiritual and moral evil. The cause of suffering and death is ultimately man’s sin. Because of our disobedience we suffer, in both body and soul. What we have earned by our sin is suffering and death for eternity.
This also helps us to understand the eternal love of God for us.
“But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:7.
Even though what we merit by our evil is death and punishment, yet are still able to be forgiven.
The amazing thing about this paradox of love overcoming evil is that it leads us to the answer of why God allows evil.
The answer is found in the cross.
Suffering and physical death are not good, yet good can be found in the midst of them. In fact, through the cross, suffering and death can be redemptive – that is they can heal. Suffering and death have a capacity to help us re-capture some of the purity, love and holiness that we are created for. The Cross of Jesus is God’s answer to evil. In it, He conquers evil (and death/sin) and shows us how to overcome them as well. When we offer our own crosses back to Jesus, he is able to transform them into something good.
GOD WAITS ON US
Wrapped up in the mystery of evil and God’s nature is our own free will. With it, we are able to choose to love. With free will, we can also do great evil. God gave us this gift of freedom so we could truly have the opportunity to choose him. If we weren’t truly free (and thus incapable of doing evil things), then we would also be incapable of truly loving – which always happens when one truly chooses what is good for the other person.
From this the questions might be turned on their head. We can now understand why bad things happen to good people, but why do good things happen to bad people? It is once again because of the love that God has for all people. Not just the “good” ones.
Suffering and death can lead to holiness and union with God. Therefore, it isn’t as evil as we make it out to be. It is the eternal death of the soul we should be afraid of. Mary is a good example of the role that God has for us in this drama.
Mary was approached by an angel and told she would give birth to the Messiah, yet remain a virgin. God waited on her to give her consent. God waited on the one who would become his human mother. He who is all-powerful and perfect waited on his creature. Once she gives her fiat, she conceives the baby Jesus in her womb.
In a similar way, God waits on you and me. God always acts first (which can put to rest whether he knows or cares about us). He gives us his love. He gives us actual graces to help us in our suffering. He gives us sanctifying grace to get us to heaven. He comes to earth to help us conquer that which we can’t conquer by ourselves – sin, death, and suffering. In this mercy and grace is found a God who knows, cares, and loves us. Yet, he wants our consent. He won’t save us without it (see more here to understand this dynamic of grace and consent).
To go even further, God may wait on us before he works in the lives of others. He waits for us to be bold in announcing him to the world that longs to hear his saving Gospel. He waits on us to live lives of charity and justice. He waits on us to pray.
God waits on us more than we do on him.
GOOD NEWS
This explains the reason St. Paul could write these words to the Romans:
“For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 5:17-21
While one is suffering, most explanations of it don’t make suffering easy. With this in mind, I suggest the following advice for Christians about how we are to react to evil, waiting on God, free will, and grace:
- When you suffer – never lose hope! We are a people of God’s promises and He promises to never leave us or stop loving us. God can use your suffering.
- When things are tough – cling to The Cross! Jesus knows what suffering and evil are like, in fact, He suffered so that all of us could live forever! Your example matters.
- When you are weak – Jesus is strong! He wants you to say “yes” to Him when you are weak. Because in that weakness, there is great grace, which provides a strength we cannot summon ourselves! (2 Cor 12:9-10).
- When God feels far away, you are lonely, things are bad – never stop loving! God never stops loving us and we should never stop loving Him or others. Even in the desolations, God is acting.
- PRAY! Prayer changes things. Tell Jesus your problems, fears, frustrations, etc. Let Him help you.
- Help change the world by working for justice and peace! If we don’t, then who will? We Christians need to lead the way. The world is crying out for God to act and God waits on us – now is the time to step up.
- Help others come to know Jesus’ mercy, through evangelization and discipleship. This is the long-term solution to all our world’s problems. There may be a soul in need of God’s mercy and grace right now. God may want to reach them through you. God is waiting on you to do the right thing…will you?
“The Lord waits to be gracious to you;
therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
Yea, O people in Zion who dwell at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you.”
–Isaiah 30:18-19
Take it away Tom…
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