If God is Good,
Why is the World a Messed Up Place?
When we consider the suffering and injustice in the world, the existence of a loving, benevolent God may seem an unlikely reality. How could such a powerful yet compassionate being allow inequity and pain to exist? It seems inconceivable that someone with the supposed authority of the Great Creator and the alleged kindness of the Good Shepherd would stand idly by and watch millions of people suffer. 
The problem with these and similar accusations is that they are based on the mistaken assumption that God directly dictates all the events of the world. This is simply not true. When God created humans, He did not merely make a puppet that would ignorantly obey, but He gave them the freedom to choose their destiny. With this freedom, God in effect enabled them to control their own world. It was God’s desire that His creation would voluntarily choose a life of communion with Him. 
But this freedom of choice also leaves open the opportunity to deny God and live according to the edicts of self. The pursuit of selfish ends without regard for others has caused much suffering and hardship. Self-centered quests have damaged countless 
lives. In actuality, God has nothing to do with the mess in the world; humanity has itself and its own decisions to blame for the problems it faces today. 
   
Why did God allow the kind of freedom that could potentially cause sorrow and grief? Ultimately we cannot fully comprehend 
God’s reasoning; we know, however, that God purposely created rational, thinking human beings, enabling them to freely love Him. God’s gift of free will has enabled us to live and enjoy life as individuals. It is unlikely that any person would prefer a lesser existence. The fact that this same freedom has been the cause of instability and pain is the unfortunate consequence of the collective choices made by our free-will human existence.
God never promised a life without adversity. The point of a relationship with God is not to escape a difficult life. Each individual must cope with his or her own world regardless of the circumstances. 

So what is God’s answer to the mess? He, in His infinite kindness offers His love, comfort, and favor to anyone who asks. If invited, God is more than willing to extend Himself on a daily basis to any person in need. This does not eliminate crisis, but it puts a person in contact with the one force that can absolutely preserve inner stability and bring peace.