The Problem Of Evil

Though the problem of evil remains a mystery, we can trust that God allows suffering to bring about a greater purpose, whether spiritual growth, justice, love, or eternal reward. Evil and suffering are not signs of God's absence but opportunities for transformation, healing, and deeper union with Him.

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Evil Exists, but God Has a Purpose for It

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While we don’t have complete answers to the problem of evil, we can still see that at least some evils are helpful.

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God allows evil to occur because he will make good out of it.

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Good Can Emerge from Suffering

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If evil does not produce good, God will not let it happen, but evil exists because God has a plan to create good from it, even if we cannot see what will happen.

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Despite our unknowingness, good will always emerge from evil, even if it takes a long time, perhaps even beyond our lifetime. We can see this through martyrs who have unknowingly spread the faith like wildfire, or the greatest of all goods: Jesus Christ.

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Some Evil Is Inherent in a Finite World

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According to John Paul II,

“Certain forms of physical evil...belong to the structure of created beings, which, by their nature are contingent in passing, and therefore corruptible. Besides, we know that material beings are in a close relation of interdependence, as expressed by the old saying: ‘The death of one is the life of another.’ So then, in a certain sense death serves life” (General Audience, June 4, 1986)

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As we can see in nature, a predator may kill prey to eat and sustain life, whether for its own good or for the good of the other animals that it must feed. This is the same case for humans; the living things we eat sustain our lives.

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Creation Is Still in Progress

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The catechism says: 

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“With infinite wisdom and goodness God freely willed to create a world ‘in a state of journeying’ towards ultimate perfection. In God‘s plan, this process of becoming involves the appearance of certain beings and the disappearance of others, the existence of the more perfect alongside the less perfect, both constructive and destructive forces of nature. With physical good, their exists also physical evil as long as creation has not reached perfection” (CCC 310).

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Pain Has a Purpose

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Physical and emotional pain can be helpful in cases such as a warning system. A pain response can indicate a physical danger, preventing us from being injured or killed. In an equal sense, an emotional pain response, such as fear, alerts us to imminent danger and motivates us to avoid it.

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Suffering Can Unite Us to God

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Although evil plays a valuable role in our lives, the problem of evil still exists despite our understanding of why.

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Some suffering, we may see, serves no obvious purpose, although we can understand that God tolerates suffering because he will bring good out of it.

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Suffering on earth can bring us closer to God and closer to heaven:

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“Jesus asked me, Who are you? I answered, “I am Your servant, Lord.” You are guilty of one day of fire in PURGATORY. I wanted to throw myself immediately into the flames of PURGATORY, but Jesus stopped me and said, Which do you prefer, suffer now for one day in PURGATORY or for a short while on earth? I replied, “Jesus, I want to suffer in PURGATORY, and I want to suffer also the greatest pains on earth, even if it were until the end of the world.” Jesus said, One [of the two] is enough; you will go back to earth, and there you will suffer much, but not for long; you will accomplish My will and My desires, and a faithful servant of Mine will help you to do this. Now, rest your head on My bosom, on My heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings because you will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else. Know that you will have much, much to suffer, but don’t let this frighten you; I am with you.” - (Diary of Faustina, 36)