The Bad Stuff
In order for love to be meaningful, it has to be free.
God wants to have a relationship with us that is based on love — mutual love, freely given. In order for that to be possible, we have to have the freedom to choose God or to reject him. We can’t be automatons; that would make our love meaningless. But in order for us to have free will, that necessarily means that God must allow some things to happen that are not his will. God is good and perfect and loving. When people do evil things to other people, that is not God’s will. But God has to give people the freedom to choose, or else our choosing to love and worship him means nothing.
The good news is that in the midst of trouble and hardship and suffering, God gives grace to those who rely on him. He will never leave us or abandon us. He promises to work all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. And in the midst of all the bad stuff, we are given an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love, kindness, mercy, grace and compassion to others.
Ultimately, he promises eternal life to those who have repented of their sins and have put their faith in Jesus. Though we may suffer here for a time, there will come a day when there is no more “bad stuff”, but only peace, love, and joy in the presence of the Lord.
For I consider our present sufferings not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
He who comes to Me shall never hunger,
and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."