God is good

When we see injustice, pain, or tragedy, it is natural to ask: “If God is good, why does this happen?” Yet human experience itself shows that love has value only when it is free, and freedom involves risk. Loving parents do not control every move of their children; they educate, love, and guide them, allowing them to err. Likewise, God’s permission of evil does not contradict His goodness: it reveals a God who takes our freedom seriously, sustains the world’s order, and, through His providence, can draw greater goods from difficulties — just as we turn failures into lessons learned. Evil is real; it is not proof that God is missing, wicked, cold, or weak.

Imagine a simple situation: every time someone tried to harm another with a weapon, it would disintegrate. At first glance, this might seem good, but soon everything would become unpredictable. Objects would vanish, natural laws would shift, and no one could learn from choices or take responsibility for actions. How could you drive if your car might disappear to prevent any mistake? Without stability, there is no science, justice, or virtue. That’s why God maintains a consistent world where choices have consequences — only then can freedom, repentance, maturity, and true love make sense.

If those who err were erased from existence, there would be no second chances, forgiveness, or growth. In everyday life, we admire those who, though hurt, allow time for others to change. God, our Father, does not support evil but preserves every person’s being and grants opportunities for repentance — like a farmer who does not uproot a sick tree but prunes and tends it, waiting for fruit. He is perfectly faithful: He does not create today and destroy tomorrow out of whim. By sustaining even those who do evil, He does not approve of their actions but respects the order He established and offers time for conversion. Like a doctor who preserves a patient’s life to heal him, God maintains existence, calls to repentance, and when welcomed, restores the heart. This patience is not indifference; it is mercy consistent with the original goodness of creation.

When a great reward is at stake, it is easy to act only for the prize. If we saw God in all His glory now, choosing Him would be irresistible and would no longer express free love. God therefore “speaks softly” — in conscience, in the beauty of the world, in encounters, and in history — offering enough light for the one who seeks Him without overwhelming our will. It is like the morning light inviting us to open the window, not a spotlight that blinds. Thus, loving God is not opportunism but a wholehearted response to love freely offered.