How Can God be Good when He Allows so much Suffering & Injustice?
(Image from Disney’s The Lion King)
When you’ve been unjustly overlooked, harmed, or betrayed, it’s easy to wonder: “Where is God in all of this?” If you’ve felt the weight of suffering and unfairness, know that God sees you. The injustice that was done to you grieves Him, and He cares about your pain.
God is not indifferent to all the suffering and injustice that takes place. He actually detests “hands that shed innocent blood,” (Proverbs 6:16–19). He is “near to the brokenhearted,” and “saves those whose spirits are crushed,” (Psalm 34:18).
God Actually Doesn’t Allow Injustice
Though it may seem like God is allowing injustice to go unanswered, the truth is that He is patiently waiting, giving everyone an opportunity to come back to the good side. The Bible says:
“The Lord is not being slow to fulfill His promise although some might think He’s being slow. No, He’s actually being patient with you [humanity], because He doesn’t want anyone to die—He wants everyone to change their minds.”
—2 Peter 3:9
So God’s patience isn’t a sign of indifference—it’s actually a reflection of His mercy. He’s patiently waiting for humanity to change before He brings the final judgment.
Know that God’s justice is guaranteed. He says,
“Vengeance is mine. I will repay.”
—Romans 12:19
He may not always bring justice on our timetable, but He assures us that no evil will go unpunished. In the end, God’s justice will be perfect and complete. One day, God will
“wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death will be no more. Mourning, crying, and pain won’t exist anymore, because the old things will have passed away” —Revelation 21:4
Injustice is a Result of Human Brokenness
But why does injustice even exist?
Human corruption is actually the root cause of the world’s brokenness. When God originally created the world, He made it perfect.
“God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”
—Genesis 1:31
Human beings were created to live in harmony with God, each other, and creation. But tragically, Adam and Eve chose to follow their own desires rather than God’s perfect will. That choice unleashed corruption, suffering, and injustice into the world. (Genesis 3)
Jesus’s brother highlights how human selfishness is at the heart of conflict:
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you argue and fight.”
—James 4:1-2
Injustice is a result of humanity’s collective brokenness. God didn’t create us for this kind of suffering—Humanity chose the path of injustice when we turned away from God and decided to do things our own way.
Recovery is Possible
The good news is that God hasn’t abandoned us to our brokenness. Jesus actually experienced the ultimate injustice so that we could experience wholeness again (Isaiah 53:5). We can take comfort in knowing that God cares and that one day, He will make everything right again. And in the meantime, His Spirit compels His people to surround and support those who are hurting.
