Full Question
Does God will evil in our lives?
Answer
To be clear, God does not will evil things for us.
As the prophet Jeremiah conveys God’s word in Old Testament times, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11). And as St. Paul and St. Peter both remind us, Jesus—God who became man for our sake—wills for every created person the greatest good possible: eternal salvation in heaven with him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit (1 Tim. 2:4-5, 2 Pet. 3:9).
On the other hand, Jesus says that we must carry our crosses in emulation of him but that these crosses will be redemptive, not destructive, if we walk with him (Matt. 16:24-25). Similarly, St. Paul teaches that we might undergo what could be called “severe mercies,” but they are permitted by God for our perfective good, not our destruction (see 2 Cor. 12:8-10).Similarly, in our own lives we can see that achieving worthwhile professional and personal goals requires self-denying sacrifices.
As the prophet Jeremiah conveys God’s word in Old Testament times, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11). And as St. Paul and St. Peter both remind us, Jesus—God who became man for our sake—wills for every created person the greatest good possible: eternal salvation in heaven with him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit (1 Tim. 2:4-5, 2 Pet. 3:9).
On the other hand, Jesus says that we must carry our crosses in emulation of him but that these crosses will be redemptive, not destructive, if we walk with him (Matt. 16:24-25). Similarly, St. Paul teaches that we might undergo what could be called “severe mercies,” but they are permitted by God for our perfective good, not our destruction (see 2 Cor. 12:8-10).Similarly, in our own lives we can see that achieving worthwhile professional and personal goals requires self-denying sacrifices.
By Tom Nash
