WHEN bad things happen, someone is murdered or violently assaulted, or there’s a major crash or earthquake, the question that’s often raised is: If there’s a God of love, why does he let this happen?

There’s no easy answer. But I believe that God set this world up in a way that gives us freedom of choice. Some bad things happen because of the natural scientific laws of the way this world has been created, and some because of the choices of us humans.

If God were to intervene every time something bad happened, then there would be no point in our having freedom of choice. As human beings, we have the choice to work for the kind of world that God wants for peace, harmony, where everyone has what they need, to care for what He has created.

God doesn’t want bad things to happen. ‘He will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.’ (Lamentations 3.32-33).

–Rev Pat Palmer.