Atheist will often use the argument of if God is so good then why do bad things happen? Why would a good God allow suffering?
In order to understand this you have to look at the bigger picture.
God is good
God Is good and righteous in all his ways. And he loves us so much that he wants a relationship with us where we love him back. But in order to love you have to have free will.
So God gave us free will knowing that we could use that free will to turn from him.
If God is good and all that is right then turning from God would be turning away from what is good. This is called sin and it all started when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. This is were the curse of pain and suffering enter the world. See Genesis 3.
So God is not inflicting pain and suffering on anyone. Its the result of living in a fallen world that has turned away from the source of all good. Even our own sinful nature will cause suffering for ourselves.
Sure He could make it go away. He could take away our free will. But God doesn’t want a bunch of robots to love him. Because love without free will is not love at all.
Not Suffering In Vain
But that’s not the end. God is good and he will not let his children go through pain and suffering in vain.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28 NIV
We are also never alone.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10 NIV
I believe with all my heart that God uses the pain and suffering we experience for good in the long run. Maybe to make us better people. Maybe to help someone else. We might never know in this life. But I believe Romans 8:28.
Jesus Suffered In Our Place
We can look to Jesus Christ for an example. God the Father did not nail Christ to the cross. Sinful people did that. But that awful pain, humiliation, and death Jesus Christ suffered was turned around for our good. Because of the blood of Jesus we have a chance to be in right relationship with God. The price of our sin was death and Jesus paid that for us. The only thing we have to do is believe and accept it.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV
God turned the pain and suffering of the cross into our ultimate salvation!
