Is God Good?
During "at home learning", I helped my daughter design an experiment on plants. She set up four identical pots with the same amount of soil in the same location on our deck (controlling her variables, right?). She planted two bean seeds in each pot. She watered three out of the four plants with various amounts of water (1/4 cup, 1/2 cup and 1 cup). The fourth plant only received whatever water naturally fell from the sky. At the end of one month, her hypothesis was partially verified. She thought the 1/4 cup water plant and 1/2 cup water plant would grow the best, which was true in the end. On the other hand, she guessed the others would not germinate at all. Interestingly enough, while the one that was drench in water (1 cup) did not germinate, the one she did not water at all actually grew! It germinated late but had the most steady growth.
Is God good?
I have been thinking about this question a lot these days. A global pandemic is still raging over our planet decimating the immune compromised along the way. Economic systems are under duress. Livelihoods are lost and families are struggling to feed their children. Domestic violence is on the rise. People are weary of the message to social distance as the need to make connections with others becomes paramount.
On top of this, racial unrest is rearing its ugly head once again (nothing new under the sun...). While some groups are trying to unite against injustice, some movements are resulting in more violence than positive solutions. An eye for an eye? In the midst of the fray, politicians are taking sides to placate citizens. Their words seem hollow to me. Are they just trying to secure a favorable position in the hearts of voters? Is anyone going to do anything, resulting in positive change? Or are people just calling each other names and taking a knee in mock (?) repentance?
Is God good?
In response to the above question, many people would adamantly claim, "No!" and footnote their assertion with "God doesn't exist because of the problem of evil." I do not minimize their criticism. It is valid and it has been the number one objection to the existence of God. The following paragraph from The Gospel Coalition summarizes the problem:
The so-called "problem of evil" is an argument against the existence of God that reasons along these lines:
I have been thinking about this question a lot these days. A global pandemic is still raging over our planet decimating the immune compromised along the way. Economic systems are under duress. Livelihoods are lost and families are struggling to feed their children. Domestic violence is on the rise. People are weary of the message to social distance as the need to make connections with others becomes paramount.
On top of this, racial unrest is rearing its ugly head once again (nothing new under the sun...). While some groups are trying to unite against injustice, some movements are resulting in more violence than positive solutions. An eye for an eye? In the midst of the fray, politicians are taking sides to placate citizens. Their words seem hollow to me. Are they just trying to secure a favorable position in the hearts of voters? Is anyone going to do anything, resulting in positive change? Or are people just calling each other names and taking a knee in mock (?) repentance?
Is God good?
In response to the above question, many people would adamantly claim, "No!" and footnote their assertion with "God doesn't exist because of the problem of evil." I do not minimize their criticism. It is valid and it has been the number one objection to the existence of God. The following paragraph from The Gospel Coalition summarizes the problem:
The so-called "problem of evil" is an argument against the existence of God that reasons along these lines:
- A perfectly powerful being can prevent any evil.
- A perfectly good being will prevent evil as far as he can.
- God is perfectly powerful and good.
- So, if a perfectly powerful and good God exists, there will be no evil.
- There is evil.
- Therefore, God doesn't exits.
"Evil," here is understood as any significant case of pain and suffering in the world, whether "moral" (evil willfully caused by human beings such as murder, adultery, theft, rape, etc.) or "natural" evil (harm caused by impersonal forces of nature such as earthquakes, tornadoes, plague, etc.). Source: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-problem-of-evil/
As I look at this logical argument, I agree wholeheartedly with #1, #3 and #5. The problem with the argument lies in premise #2: "A perfectly good being will prevent evil as far as he can." Is it true that a good being will prevent ALL suffering at ALL times? Is this the definition of a "Good God"? Or could there be a GOOD reason to allow for suffering?
Let's get back to my daughter's experiment. To her surprise, the plant that was not watered by herself and only received water from the sky did in fact germinate. Furthermore, it had the steadiest amount of growth. That plant did not receive any extra "good" water from its earthly caretaker. Furthermore, it had a better end result than the one plant that was drenched in "good" water, an compound that is normally seen as a blessing.
Sandra Kring, a novelist, once said, "The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be dropped in dirt, covered in darkness, and struggle to reach the light." Dropped in dirt. Covered in darkness. Struggle to the light. Sounds like suffering and evil.
Life IS full of suffering and evil. Though, I hesitate to claim that all of this adversity is there to improve our character and make us stronger. I can't imagine telling this to a mother who is grieving the loss of a child or countries dealing with the atrocities of war. Some events I cannot comprehend or explain or justify. My mind is too finite. I cannot see the big picture. I am an ant in Central Park contemplating New York city.
That being said, there is something about adversity's ability to bring out "treasures of darkness" in our souls (Isaiah 45:2-3). I think about my husband. His darkest time was when certain people in a church demolished his soul during a youth pastor stint. His faith in God almost went down to nothing. After all, how can people who claim to be followers of Jesus do such a thing to a person? Yet, there was a glimmer of hope in his life, a small desire to seek the light. Through time and the beauty of God's design in his studies of Chemistry, he turned toward the light. He received the treasures of darkness and came out stronger and steadier. The only "water" he received to help him grow was whatever God revealed to him. God was still there, calling, seeking and shining the light. It was enough to grow back his faith.
So, is God good?
Yes. However, I will admit that I don't fully understand how the goodness of God is defined. Yet, I rather believe that His light exists. As I struggle and seek Him, I will find Him. He promised.
As I look at this logical argument, I agree wholeheartedly with #1, #3 and #5. The problem with the argument lies in premise #2: "A perfectly good being will prevent evil as far as he can." Is it true that a good being will prevent ALL suffering at ALL times? Is this the definition of a "Good God"? Or could there be a GOOD reason to allow for suffering?
Let's get back to my daughter's experiment. To her surprise, the plant that was not watered by herself and only received water from the sky did in fact germinate. Furthermore, it had the steadiest amount of growth. That plant did not receive any extra "good" water from its earthly caretaker. Furthermore, it had a better end result than the one plant that was drenched in "good" water, an compound that is normally seen as a blessing.
Sandra Kring, a novelist, once said, "The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be dropped in dirt, covered in darkness, and struggle to reach the light." Dropped in dirt. Covered in darkness. Struggle to the light. Sounds like suffering and evil.
Life IS full of suffering and evil. Though, I hesitate to claim that all of this adversity is there to improve our character and make us stronger. I can't imagine telling this to a mother who is grieving the loss of a child or countries dealing with the atrocities of war. Some events I cannot comprehend or explain or justify. My mind is too finite. I cannot see the big picture. I am an ant in Central Park contemplating New York city.
That being said, there is something about adversity's ability to bring out "treasures of darkness" in our souls (Isaiah 45:2-3). I think about my husband. His darkest time was when certain people in a church demolished his soul during a youth pastor stint. His faith in God almost went down to nothing. After all, how can people who claim to be followers of Jesus do such a thing to a person? Yet, there was a glimmer of hope in his life, a small desire to seek the light. Through time and the beauty of God's design in his studies of Chemistry, he turned toward the light. He received the treasures of darkness and came out stronger and steadier. The only "water" he received to help him grow was whatever God revealed to him. God was still there, calling, seeking and shining the light. It was enough to grow back his faith.
So, is God good?
Yes. However, I will admit that I don't fully understand how the goodness of God is defined. Yet, I rather believe that His light exists. As I struggle and seek Him, I will find Him. He promised.