Why would a loving God allow so much suffering in the world?

Last year my freshman English class read The Bridge Of San Luis Rey by Thorton Wilder. In the novel, an old bridge in Lima, Peru, falls into the sea, sending five people to their deaths.

A Franciscan monk happened to see the bridge fall on that unfortunate day. He claims the catastrophe is an act of God, nothing that could have been caused by man. His only question remains: Why would God let the bridge go down while those particular five were crossing it?

After years of investigation the monk concludes that those on the bridge were honorable people who had bright futures ahead of them. Why God did not instead allow evil people to die on the bridge is beyond the monk.

The author challenged our class with this thought: “Some say that we shall never know and that to the gods we are like the flies that boys kill on a summer day, and some say, on the contrary, that the very sparrows do not lose a feather that has not been brushed away by the finger of God.”

Thus our class debated the character of God. Is he a ruthless being who swats us down mercilessly, or is he a personal God who knows each of our lives? However, this discussion was only abstract, not something tangible that we could experience.

But on Jan. 13, a major catastrophe captured the world’s attention. Instead of sitting in a safe classroom discussing a fictional book, everything became very real. Unlike the five people who were killed on a bridge, more than 200,000 lives were crushed in a devastating earthquake centered in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

All around the globe, people reacted by asking this agonizing question: Why is there so much suffering in the world?

Although we see this tragedy in Haiti and may want to point the finger at God, we know God never rejoices when people die: “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live” (Ezekiel 18:32, NIV). Although God allows death and suffering to take place, he never takes delight when the very ones he created lose their lives.

God knew the earthquake would hit Haiti since the beginning of time. It’s not something that escaped his eyes. He has a plan for Haiti and his plans are perfect.

Hope is already surging throughout the region. This spiritually dark place is receiving tremendous amounts of aid from relief organizations. In addition, Christian groups are sharing the gospel in a time of need. God is working mightily through the hands and feet of the relief workers in Haiti.

In The Bridge of San Luis Rey, the monk concludes that those on the bridge had just overcome a huge obstacle in their lives. They had experienced adversity and had finally resolved their issues. It seems so unfair that just when they had got on the right path, they fell with the bridge.

All appears bleak until we see how their deaths affect those left behind. The five who died impact their family and friends in a profound way. These people give up their selfish ways and begin to genuinely love others with their time and resources. Realizing that their lives are gifts from God gives them a new sense of how to live.

Now is the time to see how we – those who are fortunate enough to not have fallen with “the bridge” – respond to the catastrophe in Haiti. How is the incident going to impact us?

I hope we realize that our lives are a precious gift that should not be taken for granted. Let us be lights to this dark world, giving hope and love to those who are suffering.

Although this world is wasting away, we can hold onto the promise that “God will wipe every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain” (Revelation 21:4, NIV). This promise is in store for all those who have trusted in Jesus for their salvation.

Those interested in helping Haiti can check out the following resources: Samaritans Purse, Compassion International and World Vision.