Why A Loving God Allows Evil? 

By Dean Sherman, Dean of Christian Ministries of WYAM

From “Spiritual Warfare For Every Christian”, pp 135-137

Either We Are Crazy Or We Know Something:

We live in a fallen world.  God lets things happen.  We should not be surprised when they do.  The only way we can rejoice in the midst of tribulation is if we are crazy, or if we know enough about God, about the Word of God, and about the condition of man and our planet.

In his first letter, Peter said we are to glorify God through everything we say do and say.  Through our actions and reactions, every hour and in every situation, we are revealing God’s glory – His character – to those around us.  If we know His character, we can come to the end of each experience rejoicing, knowing that nothing we’ll every encounter can throw us off our course.  If we know God, we know His love for us is the same.  His Kind intentions toward us and His purposes for us have not changed.  In the midst of every disappointment, we can rejoice, because God in us is victorious.  And the character of God will be shown to other as we face our trials.

    Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, [3] for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance/steadfastness. [4] And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4, ESV). 

“Trials of various kinds” and “the testing of your faith” are NOT JOYS!  We must, however, consider them joys.  We can go through times of turmoil when we can barely handle the physical, mental, and emotional pain, and we can say: “THIS IS JOY.”  Why?  Because terrible, fiery ordeals are producing something of unparalleled value in our lives: ENDURANCE/STEADFASTNESS!  

We know little about endurance/steadfastness in the Western world.  Our society demands convenience and comfort.  If we don’t like something, we change it.  However, the majority of people in the world at large have no opportunity to change their situation in life.  They simply learn to endure or be steadfast in their situation.

Without exception, we are all going to have trials.  Those who learn to endure/be steadfast are victors.  We can’t put a price on endurance/steadfastness.  Yet it is one of the most valuable things we can have in this life!

Endurance/steadfastness then is going through what life brings us – resulting with joy in our hearts.  If we could see what God sees, then we should realize the wealth that comes with endurance/steadfastness.

Jesus did not die on the Cross that we might avoid life, but that we might be OVERCOMERS!  He gives us grace for every situation.

Jesus lived a sinless life, went to the Cross, died a painful death, went to hell, ripped authority and the power of sin, death, and Hades from Satan, rose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and is there interceding for us every minute of every day.

If this is not enough proof of God’s love for us, if this can’t help us endure/be steadfast in any situation and become ALL that we need to be, then we had better start looking for a new faith.

How can we be perfect, complete, and lacking in nothing?  Simply by enduring/being steadfast.  And while being so, say: “THIS IS A JOY TO ME!”  This isn’t psyching ourselves up or defrauding our minds.  It is just recognizing that each situation is developing us – that we really are becoming like Jesus who, with joy, endured/was steadfast far more than any of us ever will be.

God is always there for us.  He is always turning things around to be a blessing and a benefit for us.  This is what Romans 8:28 means.  He is always working in the circumstances that come our way to bring about our good.  We need only endure/be steadfast and let endurance/steadfastness have its perfect result.

Let us look now into Romans chapter 5 to see how this works out:

    Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings/tribulations, knowing that suffering/tribulations produce endurance/steadfastness, [4] and endurance/steadfastness proven character, and proven character hope, [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:1-5, ESV).

In conclusion then, what does it mean to “exult in sufferings/tribulations?  It’s not avoiding them, or pretending they don’t exist.  It’s not resisting every negative thing that comes into our lives.  It’s not even gritting our teeth in quiet submission to our circumstances.

In short, exulting in our tribulations/sufferings is a wholehearted embrace of every unwanted situation, unbearable turmoil, and disappointment.  “To exult” is to rejoice completely in the midst of our sufferings/tribulation, not in spite of tribulation, but because of it.  To the world, of course, this would seem insane.  But it is the most reasonable thing we can do if we understand what immeasurable benefit our sufferings /tribulation, can be to us.

There is no greater witness in the world than that of a Christian who endures/remains steadfast, truly exulting in and overcoming everything that the world and the devil can throw at him.  Making these things work for us – and not against us is real spiritual warfare.  Standing through these trials develops the “proven character” that is God’s goal for each of us.  Ultimately, this brings about “hope” that enables us to know we can make it through anything, because we have been there and have confidence as God is building us up – making us strong, mature, and more like Jesus.  Finally, this is the reason we can exult in our tribulations, trials, testings, and suffering.    

CHRISTIAN BUMPER STICKERS

* Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.

* Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

* Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

* Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

* Forbidden fruits create many jams.

* God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called

* God grades on the cross, not the curve.

* God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"

* God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

* He who angers you, controls you!

* If God is your Co-pilot - swap seats!

* Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.

* Prayer: Don't give God instructions - just report for duty!

* The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

* The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

* We don't change the message, the message changes us.

* You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage them.