God's imperfect world?

In a 2005 column about the intelligent design vs. evolution, Chicago Tribune columnist Charles Madigan asked, "If God's so intelligent, why is every last thing on Earth so messed up?" Throughout the article, he asks why God allowed such things as humans to have a relatively useless organ such as the appendix, or why women get cramps every month or why we wear out?

"I do believe strongly in God. I give him a great deal of credit for whatever it is that he does. But why would he create so many unusual pieces, given the power to make it all perfect? If we're so hot, why do we all wear out so quickly? Why do we lose our teeth? Why do beans create wind? Why are we sometimes vicious? Why do we drink too much? Curse? Make trouble?"

Why do we wear out? It's not because of God's original design. In the beginning, in the days of Adam and Eve, mankind followed God. It is when we began to disobey him, starting with the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, that the ill effects of sin began to take their effect (Romans 5:12: "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned." (NIV)).

However, while the world is falling apart around us, we can escape the eternal effects. All we have to do is turn to Christ. The Bible tells us this about God's love for us in John 3:16: "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." (NIV)

Once we turn our lives over to Christ, life still will not be perfect, in that bad things will still happen to us and those around us. But God has His reasons for allowing us to continue to be amongst suffering even though we have Jesus in our lives (Romans 8:28: "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." (NIV)

An explanation from the Billy Graham Evangelical Association explains it best this way, particularly how we react to bad circumstances with God in our lives:

"The way we react to suffering will determine whether life's most tragic experiences bring bitterness and despair or become sources of blessing. The greatest joy will come when, in the midst of adversity, we look up into His face and say, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:18). It is then that His promise will be most meaningful, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (Isaiah 43:2)."


So take heart! One day, God will take care of everything and make every thing new (Revelation 21).