Is it God’s Will for Bad Things to Happen?

Our world can be a place of pain, suffering, and evil. We all desire and groan for something better (Romans 8:19-23). This leads many to question why God created this world in the first place; and, they are led to ask “is it God’s will for bad things to happen?” “Does He want to hurt us?” “Is He playing games with us?”

Ezekiel 18:32 says God has “no pleasure in the death of anyone.” But each person’s choice to disobey God has brought evil, pain, suffering and death into our world. Rather than for it to be God’s will for us to suffer, God longs for us be freed from sin and to live with Him in perfection forever. 2 Peter 3:9 states, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” This is why God sent Jesus to die for our sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

And, remember, even though we still suffer the consequences of sin existing in this world, God is working things out for the best in behalf of those who follow Him. Consider these verses: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change,” James 1:17. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him,” Matthew 7:11. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:26-28. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it,” 1 Corinthians 10:13.

God promises to be faithful and take care of those who choose to follow Him. Despite the evil, pain and suffering we have to face, God will bring us through it and help us be victorious.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us… What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 8:18, 31-39. God loves you, and has a plan in place for all of us to follow, a plan that will free us from the suffering of sin and bring us back into a perfect relationship with Him.