The Gift of Free Will

"Perhaps the greatest test of faith for the Christian today is to believe that God is good." -Paul E. Little

I was asked today why bad things happen to good people if God is 'good'. It's one of the hardest questions I think a Christian has to ask themselves and answer. If God is good why is Fern HIV+, why did my Uncle die of cancer, and why do I have to watch those I love suffer on a regular basis? Although I cannot claim to understand pain like some have known it I do know this struggle and this question. I found what J.B. Phillips had to say on the subject to be really well stated.

"Evil is inherent in the risky gift of free will. God could have made us machines but to do so would have robbed us of our precious freedom of choice, and we would have ceased to be human. Exercise of free choice in the direction of evil in what we call the "fall" of man (Adam and Eve's sin in the garden of Eden) is the basic reason for evil and suffering in the world. It is man's responsibility, not God's. He could stop it, but in so doing would destroy us all (we would cease to be humans). It is worth noting that the whole point of real Christianity lies not in interference with the human power to choose, but in producing a willing consent to choose good rather then evil." -J.B. Phillips

It's really hard to remember God is good when horrible things happen to you or someone close to you. I read a newspaper today. Damn, those things are depressing! We're surrounded by 'evil' 'bad' 'sin' every day. I'm thankful that I do believe in someone who will overcome this reality. If I didn't believe in him I don't know how I would deal with reality.

-Shanna