Evidence • Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen • JJ Lane
Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen? Finding Hope in Suffering
Life has a way of confronting us with questions that shake us to our core. Whether it's a devastating diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or watching injustice unfold around us, we've all found ourselves asking: Why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people?
This question has kept people awake at night, strengthened some people's faith, and caused others to walk away from it entirely. It's perhaps the most challenging objection to Christianity, and one that deserves an honest examination.
Key Verses
John 1:14
Hebrews 4:15
Isaiah 53:3-5
Psalm 34:18
John 14: 16-18
Revelation 21:3-5
What Different Worldviews Say About Suffering
Various belief systems attempt to explain suffering, but most fall short of providing real hope:
Atheism suggests suffering is meaningless and just happens. But if suffering has no meaning, what hope do we have? Why does injustice feel so wrong if there's no greater purpose?
Karma claims you get what you deserve based on your actions in this or previous lives. This approach blames victims and fails to explain innocent suffering.
New Age thinking dismisses suffering as an illusion. Try telling a grieving parent that their pain isn't real.
While these worldviews offer explanations, they don't provide what we desperately need when facing pain: hope. They leave us to face our suffering alone.
How Christianity Addresses Suffering Differently
Christianity doesn't push suffering aside or pretend it doesn't exist. Instead, it shows us where suffering came from, what God has done about it, and what He will ultimately do about it.
The Origin of Suffering
The story begins in Genesis, where God creates everything and declares it "good." Humanity lived in perfect harmony with each other, creation, and God. But when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God's one boundary, sin entered the world and broke everything.
Evil didn't come from God - it came from our choice to rebel against Him. The broken world we see today isn't the world God created.
God's Response to Our Brokenness
Rather than abandoning us in our mess, God sent Jesus into our brokenness. Through Jesus, we see four crucial truths about how God deals with suffering:
Jesus Entered Our Suffering
Many people picture God as distant and untouchable, sitting on His throne far from our pain. But John 1:14 tells us: "The word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The Creator of the universe put on skin. The One who holds the stars became a baby born in a manger. Jesus didn't just visit for a weekend - He lived among us, experiencing everything we experience.
Hebrews 4:15 explains: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."
There's a difference between sympathy and empathy. Sympathy feels bad for someone from a distance. Empathy gets into the pain with you. Jesus empathizes with us because He's experienced every pain point we've ever faced.
Jesus knows what it's like to be tired while people still demand things from Him. He knows grief over losing someone He loved. He understands being misunderstood. He even knows what it's like to ask "Why?" - crying out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Jesus Defeated Suffering
The hope we have isn't just that Jesus entered our suffering, but that He defeated it. Isaiah 53:3-5 prophesied what would happen:
"He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain... Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering... But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."
This is scandalous to every other world religion. God on a throne makes sense, but God on a cross seems insane. Yet that's exactly who we worship.
Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn't live, then willingly allowed Himself to be betrayed, arrested, beaten, and crucified. The only time something truly bad happened to someone truly good was Jesus - and He chose to let it happen.
On the cross, Jesus took on our punishment and defeated all sin, death, suffering, and evil. The resurrection three days later is the receipt - proof that what Jesus accomplished on the cross has the final say.
Jesus Is Present in Suffering
If Jesus defeated suffering on the cross, why does it still exist? We don't fully know, but we know what it isn't. It can't be that God doesn't love us or care about us, because the cross demonstrates exactly how much He loves and cares for us.
When you're walking through pain, you don't need a philosophical answer - you need to know that God is with you and for you. The cross shows us He is both.
Psalm 34:18 promises: "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Notice it doesn't say God is near to those who are strong or have it all together. He draws near to those who are hurting.
For believers, we have an even greater promise. In John 14, Jesus says He will send the Holy Spirit to be with us forever, living inside us. This means there's never a moment when God isn't with us - in the doctor's office, crying in the car, going through divorce, or watching our children struggle.
Jesus Will End All Suffering
We also have a future hope. One day, Jesus will return and end suffering once and for all. The Bible doesn't tell us to pretend suffering isn't real, but it reminds us that it's temporary.
Revelation 21:3-5 gives us this promise: "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.' And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'"
Notice the present tense: "I am making all things new." Right now, Jesus is in the process of redeeming all things, even when we can't see it.
Living in the "Already But Not Yet"
We live in the tension of what the Bible calls "already but not yet." Suffering is real, but what Jesus did is also real. Pain is present, but so is Jesus. We mourn, but not without hope.
There are many "why" questions we may never get answers to in this life. But here's the freeing truth: even when answers don't come, Jesus still does. Even when we never get answers to our why questions, He still shows up.
We may not know why, but we know who God is. He sent Jesus. Jesus entered our suffering, defeated sin and evil on the cross, is present with us now, and will one day finish what He started.
Life Application
This week, start a note in your phone or journal titled "I don't know why, but here's what I know about God." When we're walking through difficult times, it's easy to lose sight of who God is while we're focused on our unanswered questions.
For the next seven days, write down one truth you know about God each day. When those moments come that don't make sense, pull out your list and remind yourself: "I may not know why, but here's what I know about my God."
Ask yourself these questions:
How do you typically respond when someone asks you why God allows suffering? What makes this question so difficult to answer?
How does knowing that Jesus experienced suffering change my perspective on my own pain?
Pastor JJ mentioned that Jesus can ‘empathize’ with our weekenesses rather than just ‘sympathize.’ What’s the difference, and why does this matter when we’re going through difficult times?
How does the cross demonstrate both God's love for us and His victory over suffering? What does this mean for how we view our current struggles?
Pastor JJ said 'even when answers don't come, Jesus still does.' How have you experienced God's presence during times when you didn't understand what was happening?
The message talked about living in the tension of 'already but not yet' - suffering is real, but Jesus has defeated it. How do we practically live in this tension?
What are some ways we can remind ourselves of who God is when we're struggling with 'why' questions?
How can we better support others who are walking through suffering, especially when we don't have answers to their questions?
Remember, even when the answers don't come, Jesus still does. He is present with you right now, and that presence is enough to carry you through whatever you're facing.
Setlist
WFC Lenexa + WFC Anywhere
1. Graves Into Gardens - Elevation Worship
2. Who Else - Gateway Worship
3. We Crown You - Jeremy Riddle
WFC Speedway
1. I Know A Name - Elevation Worship
2. I Speak Jesus - Charity Gayle
3. We Crown You - Jeremy Riddle
4. How Good Is He - Vertical Worship
Be sure to save our SpotifyWorship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday’s set!
