Dear friends,

I hear this frustrating, persistent, and often challenging question asked repeatedly in conversations about the goodness and omnipotence of God: Why do good people suffer so many challenges while the wicked seem to prosper and have an easy life?

It is rarely simple to give a soothing or immediately convincing answer to such a profound question. To complicate the matter, the question of suffering quickly spirals into deeper societal and existential quandaries. Consider the further questions that arise when we look at the world:

• Why does time itself seem indifferent, the day remaining 24 hours irrespective of human triumph or tragedy?
• Why do human beings, consciously or unconsciously, create boundaries and borders, alienating others and labeling fellow children of God as 'aliens'?
• Why is it that people consciously choose war, hatred, and violence, knowing they inflict mental and emotional damage and infringe upon the rights and dignity of others?
• Why do immense wealth, power, and influence so often fail to deliver true peace, security, or joy to their owners?
• Why do those with every luxury still die like the poor, get sick like the beggars, and feel frightened like the homeless?
• Why are some innocent people languishing in prison while many known criminals walk the streets free?
• Why can't so many hardworking men and women still take care of themselves and their families, while others are born with a "golden spoon," needing to do nothing?
• Why is it that evil and bad news dominate headlines, while the quiet acts of goodness and sacrifice often go unheralded?

These further questions clearly illustrate that much of the world's pain is not simply a matter of natural disaster, but a direct result of human choices. This leads us to the heart of the theological answer: the gift and the tragedy of Free Will. Let us briefly explore these theological questions through the lenses of Free Will, God’s Unwavering Knowledge and Presence, and the certainty of victory.

1. The Reality of Free Will

God, in His perfect goodness, did not create robots out of us. He gave us the radical and awesome gift of free will, which is the ability to choose between good and evil. The suffering we see in the world often stems from humanity’s collective decision to use this gift imperfectly. We create the boundaries, we choose the hatred, and we perpetuate the systems that allow injustice to thrive. God permits this not because He desires the suffering, but because He honors the freedom He gave us, even when it is misused.

2. God’s Unwavering Knowledge and Presence

The simple, yet profound, core of the answer is this: God knows every one of our challenges and difficulties. Our God is not a distant, indifferent ruler; He is a God who chooses to enter into our suffering. He did this practically by sending his son, Jesus, to suffer and die for us.

The Book of Genesis reminds us of the ideal —a world of peace (Eden) —and the rest of Scripture is the story of God's patient, persistent action to restore it. Human delays and earthly obstacles may slow the journey, but God’s will for ultimate good must and will come to pass.

3. The Certainty of Victory

Evil is powerful, but it is not eternal. It may seem to thrive and capture the headlines, yet it is ultimately a force that will never defeat the enduring power of Good.

Our faith is not in a formula that guarantees an easy life; it is in a Person who suffered and triumphed. Jesus Christ is the ultimate answer to the problem of evil. His life, passion, and resurrection are our guarantee that suffering is temporary and that love is victorious.

4. Our Call to Perseverance

All we need, then, is perseverance in doing good. Do not let the apparent prosperity of the wicked or the weight of your own burdens extinguish your light.

• Keep alive your Trust in God's plan.
• Keep alive your Hope in the Resurrection.
• Be patient as you endure this world's trials, and do not be afraid.

The evil you see today is a battle, a battle of choices. God’s justice and mercy are the war’s inevitable end. With that in mind, I want to conclude by sharing the scripture passage from Galatians 6:9, which says: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”.

I love you!

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