1. The Intersection of: Love, Free Will, and Sin
God did not create us to be mindless minions.
He created us to have a healthy, willing relationship with Him.
And “willing” is the keyword there.
We’ve all probably experienced a relationship where the other person wasn’t really invested? For example, a blind date where the other person clearly isn’t interested.
That’s not what God wants. God is love (1 John 4:8). He’s only interested in a willing relationship on our part. Not required or forced.
This is why He goes out of His way to woo and pursue us.
Free will has existed since the garden of Eden. That’s why Adam and Eve had the ability to choose the apple - to choose sin.
And once sin entered the world, coupled with free will, that’s when things quickly started to go awry; when we started to see suffering. Such as, in Genesis 4, Cain murdering his brother Abel and Lamech marrying two women. And everything that’s come afterward.
There were also consequences to the choice Adam and Eve made.
God had them exit their lush garden home lest they make things worse by eating from the Tree of Life (which would have given them eternal life). They now had to work the land instead of having food provided for them. They would experience pain - including the pain of childbirth.
So, some of the suffering we endure today is a result of sin. We (as in humans) chose sin back then and we choose it today.
Note: Please know that what I’m NOT saying here is that you deserve suffering or brought it on yourself. I’m simply talking about sin from a holistic standpoint. As in, the world was once free of sin. But then we humans chose it over listening to God’s instructions.
Still, you might wonder: But still…why doesn’t God intervene more? God is love, right? He’s sovereign? Why doesn’t He just stop all of the bad things from happening?
2. God Does Not Promise a Trouble-free Life, but He Does Promise to Help Us Overcome
You may have been taught that God is harsh and judgmental and so, when bad things happen, it’s because God is routinely doling out punishment. (Which is not the case.)
Or, you may have been exposed to the idea that God is like a genie. Meaning, when hardship enters our life, we ask God to work it out so that things are always okay and smooth sailing.
Now, it’s true that God wants us to talk to Him (aka pray) and bring our troubles to Him.
In fact, Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG) says: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
But - God does not promise a trouble-free life.
In fact, in John 16:33 (NLT) for example, Jesus directly says: “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
There are several things, though, that we can take comfort from.
Firstly, Jesus Himself - our High Priest, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords - knew a great deal of suffering, which can comfort us.
He was rejected and scorned by the religious leaders who didn’t accept Him as the Messiah.
People in his hometown didn’t believe in who He was. (He was rejected by those he grew up with - who only saw him as the young man who had grown up there and not for being Messiah and Son of Man. Something we can relate to, right? Not feeling seen for who we really are by those closest to us.)
And of course, He endured very painful, degrading torture before being lead to an extremely painful death. Being crucified was very, very excruciating. Not just the pain of having iron nails driven through your palms and feet. But you had to hold yourself up to breathe - at least, for as long as you could.
Secondly, we also have numerous promises from God that He will be with us:
John 14:16-18 – He promises that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever
Psalms 46:1 – He is a very present help in times of trouble
Psalms 27:10 – If our family forsakes us, God promises to take care of us
Matthew 28:20 – God says He will be with us always, even until the end of the world
Isaiah 54:10 – Even if the mountains crumble, God’s kindness and covenant of peace will stay
Isaiah 41:13 – God will hold our right hand, saying “Fear not, I will help you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 – God goes with you, and will not leave you nor forsake you
Joshua 1:9 – Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with you wherever you go
We also have verses such as Genesis 50:20 where Joseph says to his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive".
I know from personal experience how God can take things that people specifically meant for harm - or that were just a result of sin - and turned it into something good.
One major example is my podcast and the business it resides in. I’ve suffered a lot of things, and God had to heal me and teach me forgiveness. (I’m by no means trivializing the pain that abuse, trauma, or other types of suffering cause.) But He did heal me. He was with me during those hardships - even the ones that happened before I knew Him. And He’s taken all of that and turned it into something that can help other women.
God Loves Us
Friend, the truth is that nothing in this world - until Jesus returns and sets things to rights - is going to be trouble free. And again, as someone who has endured very harsh abuse and other situations, I’m not saying this lightly.
But God loves us. He wants us to approach Him freely - willingly. And as He lets history unfold for as long as possible, so that as many people as possible can choose to spend eternity with Him by accepting Christ, He’s here with us.
God hasn’t abandoned us. Not by a long shot. We’re equipped with His presence. With the Holy Spirit. With the armor of God. With Jesus. And with each other.