Life doesn’t make sense sometimes. Why must a little child contract a horrible disease like cancer? Why should a parent have to bury his/her own child? Why do teachers and those in authority take advantage of (often sexually) young children in their care? Why does a gunman go into a church (of all places) and shoot innocent worshipers? Why?
There are some questions in life that we will never fully be able to answer or understand. While some “things” are “freely given to us by God” to “know” (1 Cor. 2:12), some things are not. Let us focus on three things we do know and allow these three things to put the question of these senseless life experiences into perspective.
There are things that we know and need to remember about God. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). That love longs for our very best and is always showered upon His children (Rom. 8:31-39). “God is faithful” (1 Cor. 1:9). He is faithful to His word, His promises and His people. God “is able” (Eph. 3:20-21). Truly, “with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). God “is with us” (Psa. 46:7). He promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). God “cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). He wants to take your anxieties and adversities and carry them for you (Phil. 4:6-7). Finally, “God is holy” (Psa. 99:9). He has nothing to do with evil—He cannot look upon it (Hab. 1:13), tempt with it (Jas. 1:13) or have anything to do with it (Isa. 59:1-2). God is not the reason for evil things that happen in this world or happen in our lives!
There are things that we know and need to remember about man. Man was created with free will to choose for himself whether to do right or do wrong (Gen. 2:16-17). When man does wrong (i.e., sins), there are consequences for those actions (Gen. 2:17b), which affect that person and affect others, even for generations (Gen. 3:16-19; Rom. 5:12; 1:24-27). The first sin recorded outside the Garden of Eden was that of Cain murdering his brother. John asked and then answered, “And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous” (1 John 3:12). When man chooses evil, it hurts others, often immeasurably.
There are things that we know and need to remember about Satan. “The ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and “father of lies” (John 8:44) uses his “power” (Acts 26:18), “devices” (2 Cor. 2:11) and “schemes” (Eph. 6:11) to “deceive”
(2 Cor. 11:3), “entice” (Jas. 1:14), “take advantage” (2 Cor. 2:11) and “devour” (1 Pet. 5:8) as many as he can. It is the devil who is responsible for all the evil in this world, for he is “the evil one” (Matt. 6:13). Too often, man is complicit in his wicked ways and brings harm and hurt to his fellow man.