Suffering is not an evil. There's a positive side to it. It gives you challenge. It gives incentive to work. It activates one's mind; so suffering is a blessing in disguise. History shows that many of those who faced hardships and disadvantages emerged as achievers. It is rightly said that it is not ease but effort, not facility but difficulty that makes men.
I recently came across a video of renowned poet Mr. Javed Akhtar questioning the very existence of God. His argument was if God were real, then why would there be so much of suffering in the world? It's perhaps the most common argument against the existence of God. Some say that if God exists, then why are some people rich and others are poor? Why do some people die young and others live long lives? Many point to the prevalence of evil and inequality and conclude that a just God would not allow this.
And then the argument, scientists don't believe in God, so why should I? But here's the truth. These doubts come from a basic misunderstanding of how the universe works. When people see suffering or inequality, they look for a reason.
When they don't find one right away, they quickly assume that either the God doesn't exist or if he does, he must be unfair. But this conclusion is completely wrong. The suffering or inequality that we see is not randomly imposed upon us.
It is a result of human choices. Another important aspect, the suffering or inequality that we see is confined almost entirely to the human world. Look beyond our small world.
For billions of years, the sun has not strayed from its appointed course, nor has Earth collided with another planet. The cosmos in its all vastness has been operating with astonishing precision and harmony. So the question is, why does evil exist only in the human world? To answer this, we must understand the creation plan of God.
According to God's plan, this world is not meant to be a paradise. It's a testing ground. Here our conscience, our character, our goodness are constantly tested.
And for any test to be meaningful, freedom is necessary. Without freedom, there can be no real growth or moral value. Think of it like an exam.
We are given few hours with complete freedom to write our answers without the examiner interfering. Once the exam time is over, your paper is checked and judged. In the same way, our life is our examination.
And the situation we face are the questions set by God. How we respond to those situations is what we are ultimately judged upon. So the presence of evil is not absence of God.
It is a byproduct of human freedom. God wants to see that who despite having the freedom to do wrong, chooses to live a life of discipline, principles and righteousness. Of course, there'll be some people who will misuse their freedom and do wrong.
But that is the unavoidable price of a world meant to help us grow morally. No better system could serve the purpose God has planned. For example, you can kill or save someone.
Your choice not only changes one life, but the entire trajectory of families and societies. Such is the magnitude of human freedom. And with it comes the potential for evil.
The problem is that we are too impatient. We want quick solution and instant justice. When we face a problem, we don't allow God's plan to unfold.
But history has shown that when injustice is faced with perseverance, patience and positive thinking, it has led to remarkable transformation and success for families, societies and even nations. On the other hand, responding with protest, anger and negativity pushes the society further into failure. Another common source of doubt is unfulfilled desire.
Everyone, as someone has beautifully said, is a graveyard of unfulfilled wishes. But the truth is, we do not know what is good or harmful for us. Only God knows the future.
If every desire of every human being were fulfilled, then the entire system of life would collapse. Trust in God is the key to happiness. Now let's consider the scientific perspective, which is often cited as the basis for disbelief.
In the 17th century, Isaac Newton described the universe as a mechanical design. 150 years later, in the 20th century, Ernest Rutherford, known as the father of nuclear physics, whose discoveries of atomic nucleus and radioactivity transformed science, revealed that the universe is not merely mechanical but structured and layered. In the same century, one of Britain's greatest astrophysicists, Fred Hoyle, argued that the universe exhibits intelligent design.
And in the 21st century, Nobel laureate physicist Charles Towne in June 2003 wrote in the Times of that no one can deny that the universe is an outcome of intelligent planning. It is unusual. We too are unusual, he wrote.
Now look at the progression of thought, mechanical, structured or meaningful, intelligent. All of these are not theological terms, but scientific ones. Yet they unmistakably point to a conscious order, a creator behind the universe.
So it would not be wrong to say that scientists who are often considered as skeptics have discovered God at an intellectual level, but just simply use a different nomenclature, a different vocabulary for the same reality that is God. The choice therefore before us is not God or no God, but the real choice is universe with God or no universe at all. Since none of us can deny the existence of universe, we are logically compelled to accept the reality of God behind it.
The question therefore is not, does God exist? All the evidence around us answers that. The real question is, if God exists, are we acknowledging him? Are we thanking him? Just as we cherish our parents, children, families, our friends, even our successes, which are all blessings of God. Are we in return truly loving him back? Think about it.
