Just finishing up MacDonald’s The Minister’s Restoration and found this paragraph particularly grace-giving.
“‘Ignorant people go about always asking why God permits evil. We know why! So that we might come to know—really know!—what good is like, and therefore what God himself is like. It may be that he could with a word eliminate evil altogether and cause it to cease. But what would that teach us about good? The word might make us good like oxen or harmless sheep, but would that be a worthy image of him who was made in the image of God? For a man to cease to be capable of evil, he must cease to be man! What would the goodness be that could not help being good—that had no choice in the matter, but must be such because it was so made? God chooses to be good, otherwise he would not be God: Man must choose to be good, otherwise he cannot be the son of God.” (MacDonald, George. The Minister’s Restoration. Ed. Michael R. Phillips. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1988, p. 206). [Buy this book]
In the novel, this is the testimony of a man who has recently been restored to his life and ministry from a place of being disqualified by his own sinful behavior. This is a testimony more than a theological statement.
This helps me because I am tempted to address the problem of evil theoretically rather than personally. I want to talk about the most public and vile evils I can find—evils that I feel rather confident I will never commit. When I want to talk about the problem of evil, I need to talk about my problem of evil. I need to shape my questions along the lines of my struggle. “What does a loving God allow my evil to continue?”, for example.
Father, may You continue growing in me the Spirit’s fruit of goodness to overgrow the weeds of evil. Thank You for enabling me to freely choose to response to You in love. Your Spirit gives me freedom to live a life of being loved and loving back. What a grace!
[...] LINK: “My Problem of Evil” [...]
Wow, what a great reminder of the struggles I face. It is easy for me to focus on evil I won’t commit. But there is enough of the evil i do commit to know grace and mercy when I see it and to respond.
Amen, Jim. Well said.
Hi Alan,
Thank for your insightful reflections on the problem of evil. I’m convicted of almost never wanting to personalize it. It’s so much easier to label evil outside of myself. Thank you for your wise, encouraging teaching, Alan.
Much grace,
Gus
Gus–appreciate your response. It’s so very easy to think and reflect theoretically and philosophically (necessary and good) without taking the look within. Grateful to be sharing the journey with you…
Alan
What a great way to look at it… “Why does a loving God allow my evil to continue?” Never considered that angle before. Thanks Alan.
Hey Dustin…good to hear from you. Like you, I tend to ask the question theoretically instead of personally. You’re very welcome, and thanks for your response…