There's so much evil in the world. Doesn't God care?

Sometimes evil hits close to home - when a loved one dies, when a natural disaster strikes, when war explodes across our land. Sometimes evil is up close and personal - when someone insults us and is cruel for no reason. Sometimes evil is on the inside - when we lose our cool and say words we wish we had never said.

When evil hits home, it always hurts. Evil attacks things we value. When we don't see God acting the way we would want, it's easy to imagine that he doesn't care. But he does.

God does care: Remember what he said

We know God cares because of what he said. God will stand against evil. He takes our hurts seriously - and personally. Christ says that, at the last judgment, he will tell us all, "Whatever you did (or did not do) for the least of these brothers of mine, you did (or did not do) for me" (Matthew 25:40, 45). When evil happens even to the least of us, God takes it as if it happened to him.

God does care: Remember what he did

We know God cares because of what he did. He came into our world to show his love and faithfulness. He came to face the evil that ruins our world, our lives, and our hearts. When he faced sin, evil, and death, he faced it as one of us - and he faced it for us. He was insulted. He was treated unfairly. He suffered all kinds of evil, and even faced death.

Jesus Christ shows us that evil, even at its worst, cannot defeat God's love or God's power. Sin was not stronger. Evil was not stronger. Death was not stronger. Here's how we know: On the third day, he rose again. Christ has proved that God is faithful to his creation.

God does care: Remember what he promised

We know God cares because of what he promised. Though we suffer from evil here, heaven is ours. There he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There death will be no more. Nor will mourning or crying or pain. Already now these things are passing away (Revelation 21:3-4).

Standing strong in trouble

We don't always know the reason God allows suffering. But we know that Christ, who is in us, is stronger than our troubles. We know that God can outwit the evil one and make even horrible things turn out for the good. We know to hold fast to the promises our Savior gave us. His peace is not the kind the world can give, but the kind only he can give. "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Anne Kim is a programmer/analyst who enjoys spreading the good news of Christ and answering questions about Christianity and the Bible.