Jason Berggren Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens

*Click Here To Get Blog Updates Via Email*

So would you believe me if I said that the existence of evil is actually evidence that God is good? First, let me discuss why bad stuff happens…

I’ve been talking about our understanding of God’s goodness and how nothing affects our journey in life more (than how we view it).

I’ve gone though Anger Management, Good & Mad…at God?, Let’s Make A Deal, God, If God Is Good, Then He Will…, Good, God &, Evil.

Last week I said:

>God is good, but sometimes you’ll wonder, and it’s okay.

But we need to talk about the brokenness in this world because it is undeniable.

It is the result of sin. Yes, I know that is a very churchy and uncomfortable word. Too bad. It’s true. Call it brokenness, evil, or bad, but nothing says it better than good old fashioned sin.

Sometimes it’s because of a person’s sin, their choices—or sometimes our own. Like when someone chooses to drink and then drive. Then he ends up smashing into a car full of teens on their way home from a Friday night football game. They all die because of his sin.

>But then there’s evil that we’re the recipients of due to no one’s apparent choice.

For example, my son is had minor, but very painful, medical procedure a couple years ago. It will be one of several he has to have. He’s covered with strange bumps on his skin. It started as just one. Now there’s about a hundred.

One afternoon I had to reluctantly bring him to the doctor as, one by one, they’ll be scraped off. (Don’t worry; he got a chocolate milkshake on the way home.)

Why did my innocent little seven-year-old have to go through this? Why did he have to deal with a belly covered in scabs for days after? Why did he have to endure this whole process several times over? Why did he have to endure this pain? He didn’t choose it and fought off tears when just thinking about it.

It’s because of sin. Not his, of course, but an earlier one.

>This world is broken for the time being.

It’s a brokenness that entered just after the dawn of humanity. And it was a choice.

Most people know the story and the characters: Adam and Eve. God told them to enjoy all that he created. It was all good. He also told them to stay away from one tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That was the one thing they shouldn’t choose. But they did.

With this one choice, sin entered the world. With this one choice, the goodness of God would forever be questioned and doubted.

>Choice was the gateway for sin and the fuel for all future doubts.

We all suffer from sin, whether we choose it or not. It surrounds us. But there’s also good in the world that brings healing. It battles the brokenness of sins past. It fights against sins present. That goodness is in God and from God. And it’s best expressed and represented in the life and sacrifice of his son Jesus.

But you might be thinking I never answered the question:

If there’s a God and he’s good, why does he still let bad things happen?

It may sound outrageous and counterintuitive, but the existence of evil is actually evidence of God’s true goodness.

But I’ll explain that next week…

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.