Exploring Suffering, Free Will, and the Meaning of Broccoli
At its core, the problem of evil asks a question that’s as old as philosophy itself:
If God is all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, why does evil exist?
It’s a bit like asking: If chocolate is so wonderful, why do we still have to eat broccoli?
We’re trying to understand why the world isn’t all sweetness and light—why there’s suffering, injustice, and pain in a universe that’s supposedly governed by a benevolent Creator. Philosophers have spent centuries poking at this paradox, but let’s break it down without the academic fog.
The Setup: A Cosmic Stage
Picture a debate with three characters onstage:
- God, radiant and all-knowing, claiming love and order.
- Evil, shadowy and persistent, bringing suffering and chaos.
- Humanity, somewhere in the middle, scratching its collective head, wondering how these two forces coexist.
We look around and see pain—natural disasters, disease, war, loss. If God is all-powerful, He could stop these things. If He’s all-good, He’d want to. So... what gives?
Let’s explore four common answers—like philosophical plot twists—to this age-old riddle.
1. Free Will: The Price of Choice
One classic argument says: We suffer because we’re free.
If every human action were controlled by God, we’d be robots—programmed to be polite, kind, and harmless. But real love, real courage, and real morality only exist if we have the freedom to choose otherwise. That includes the freedom to do harm.
So, evil exists not because God wills it, but because He allows us to will it. Like handing someone car keys—you’re giving them freedom, but also responsibility (and, potentially, a crash).
2. Soul-Making: Growth Through Suffering
This perspective sees suffering as part of our spiritual gym routine.
The philosopher John Hick suggested that challenges are necessary for personal growth. A world without resistance would make us morally flabby. Pain, loss, and adversity shape empathy, strength, and resilience. In this view, evil isn’t pointless—it’s the training ground for meaning.
Think of it this way: Without storms, we’d never appreciate calm seas. Without loss, we might never understand love.
3. The Mystery Card: Trust the Author
Some argue that we simply can’t understand God’s reasons.
Imagine trying to judge a novel after reading only two random paragraphs. Or solving a puzzle while missing half the pieces. From our limited human vantage point, suffering seems unjust—but maybe we’re not seeing the full story.
This isn’t a cop-out; it’s a humility check. It reminds us that the universe might be playing chess while we’re still learning checkers.
4. Ultimate Justice: The Long Game
Many religions point to the idea of cosmic justice—a reckoning or redemption that happens after this life.
Whether it’s heaven, reincarnation, or moral karma, the idea is that the scales will eventually balance. The evil we experience now may be part of a larger moral arc—one that bends toward justice, even if it takes a long time getting there.
It’s not about dismissing pain—it’s about giving it context, and hope.
So... Why Does This Matter?
The problem of evil isn’t just a philosophical curiosity—it’s personal. It touches anyone who’s lost a loved one, felt betrayed, or watched innocent people suffer. Whether you’re religious or not, the question invites us to reflect on suffering, agency, and meaning.
Wrestling with this question can make us more compassionate. It can make us more resilient. It can help us find language for grief and solidarity in struggle.
Maybe we’ll never solve the problem entirely. But maybe that’s not the point. Maybe the value lies in asking the question—and in how we choose to live, love, and respond in a world that still has both chocolate and broccoli.