The Problem of Evil | Practical Theology

“God does not always explain why we suffer. But He does give us grace to go through it.”

The question of why God allows bad things to happen is not a new one. The technical term for this is theodicy, a combination of the Greek words for “God” and “justice.” This was the question Job himself asked. How can a just God allow such things to happen to me? But instead of offering an abstract, philosophical response, the Book of Job speaks of these matters in concrete human terms.

From the first page, it is clear that not every bad thing that happens to people is deserved. Blameless and upright, Job was a man who revered God and “shunned evil” (Job 1:1). Yet he suffered greatly. When Job demanded an explanation from God, he was not given the reply he expected. God affirmed His justice and power (Job 40:1–9). The Lord also asserted His absolute sovereignty, His ultimate control over all that happens. This divine control is underscored by the limits set on Satan’s activity—the Lord is the creator and sustainer of all the earth (Job 38:1–42:3).

The narrative details in the book’s first two chapters draw a subtle distinction between God and those agents who directly cause the evil that happened to Job and his family. Satan proposed harm, and human agents or natural forces carried it out (Job 1:11–2:7). Yet God remained the “gatekeeper”: Nothing could happen to Job except that which God allowed (Job 1:12; 2:6). God is not the cause of evil, but neither is He subject to it.

If God is ultimately in control, why do bad things happen? Sometimes, it is because these things are consequences of our actions. At other times, it is a result of the collateral damage caused by living in a fallen world. Job, however, was a special case. Satan proposed the evil, but it was God who instigated the conversation, knowing what the outcome would be (Job 1:8). The evil that others devised became subject to God’s greater plan. Job serves as a model of perseverance under severe trials, and his story proves that the Lord “is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:11). God does not always explain why we suffer. But He does give us grace to go through it.

For Further Study

To learn more, read The Kindness of God: Beholding His Goodness in a Cruel World by Nate Pickowicz (Moody Publishers).

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.