God and Evil

May 29, 2022

One of the questions throughout human history has been, “If God is really good and really all-powerful, why do bad things happen to good people?” Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer? Perhaps God isn’t actually good. Maybe he isn’t all-powerful. Or maybe he’s too far away, and doesn’t concern himself with human suffering.

None of these, ultimately, get us to a helpful place. I’m struck by Jeremiah’s response—

You will be in the right, O LORD, 

when I lay charges against you; 

but let me put my case to you. 

Why does the way of the guilty prosper? 

Why do all who are treacherous thrive? 

You plant them, and they take root; 

they grow and bring forth fruit; 

you are near in their mouths 

yet far from their hearts. 

But you, O LORD, know me; 

You see me and test me—my heart is with you. 

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, 

and set them apart for the day of slaughter. 

How long will the land mourn, 

and the grass of every field wither? 

For the wickedness of those who live in it 

the animals and the birds are swept away, 

and because people said, “He is blind to our ways.”

(Jer. 12.1-4)

Jeremiah doesn’t suggest God can’t or won’t do something about the evil he sees. He says, “God, you are who I know you to be, which makes what I see around me very confusing! I’m sure you’re in the right somehow, but I don’t know how.” 

We see evil and wickedness all around us. We know to expect it, but it’s still upsetting (as it should be). Even worse, though, is the situation recognized by Jeremiah—“you are near in their mouths yet far from their hearts.” There’s an entirely new level of pain and angst when we recognize the evil stems from God’s own people, people who are supposed to be called and formed in righteousness.

Like Jeremiah, we lament to God the wickedness we see, and ask God what he will do about it. Rest assured, as Jer. 12 makes clear, God has a day of judgment for the wicked. In the meantime, may our hearts be with God.

—John Coffey