Where Did Evil Come From?
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed." - Genesis 1:31
One of the biggest questions people ask when they look at the brokenness of this world is, “Why didn’t God just create a world without evil or suffering?” Maybe you’ve asked that too.
The surprising answer is that He did. In the beginning, God created a world that was perfect. Genesis 1:31 tells us, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.” There was no evil, no suffering, no death—just the beauty of God’s creation living in harmony with Him.
So, what happened? Where did evil and suffering come from? The answer goes back to something God gave us from the start: free will. You were created in God’s image, designed to experience real love. But for love to be real, it has to be chosen. Without free will, love would be nothing more than programmed behavior.
Imagine if your kids had a pull-string on their back and every time you tugged it, they said, “I love you, Dad.” Those words wouldn’t mean much. But when your child runs up to you on their own and says, “I love you,” it’s precious because it comes from a free and willing heart.
God designed us with that same ability to choose. And from the beginning, humanity has used that freedom to turn away from God. Adam and Eve’s choice in the Garden opened the door for moral evil, the wrong we choose to do, and natural evil, the brokenness we now see in the world.
God didn’t create evil, but He allows it, because without free will, we would never have the ability to experience true love, real relationship, or meaningful connection with Him or others.
It’s not an easy truth, but it helps us understand why the world is the way it is. Even in the face of evil and suffering, God is still working. He is still drawing people to Himself, offering redemption and hope. And one day, He will restore all things. Until then, you can trust that even when you don’t understand why, God’s love and purpose remain steady and sure.
One of the biggest questions people ask when they look at the brokenness of this world is, “Why didn’t God just create a world without evil or suffering?” Maybe you’ve asked that too.
The surprising answer is that He did. In the beginning, God created a world that was perfect. Genesis 1:31 tells us, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.” There was no evil, no suffering, no death—just the beauty of God’s creation living in harmony with Him.
So, what happened? Where did evil and suffering come from? The answer goes back to something God gave us from the start: free will. You were created in God’s image, designed to experience real love. But for love to be real, it has to be chosen. Without free will, love would be nothing more than programmed behavior.
Imagine if your kids had a pull-string on their back and every time you tugged it, they said, “I love you, Dad.” Those words wouldn’t mean much. But when your child runs up to you on their own and says, “I love you,” it’s precious because it comes from a free and willing heart.
God designed us with that same ability to choose. And from the beginning, humanity has used that freedom to turn away from God. Adam and Eve’s choice in the Garden opened the door for moral evil, the wrong we choose to do, and natural evil, the brokenness we now see in the world.
God didn’t create evil, but He allows it, because without free will, we would never have the ability to experience true love, real relationship, or meaningful connection with Him or others.
It’s not an easy truth, but it helps us understand why the world is the way it is. Even in the face of evil and suffering, God is still working. He is still drawing people to Himself, offering redemption and hope. And one day, He will restore all things. Until then, you can trust that even when you don’t understand why, God’s love and purpose remain steady and sure.
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