How does God exist through evil and tragedy in human life?

Answer 1

The disciple James wrote: "When under trial, let no one say: 'I am being tried by God.' For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone." (James 1:13) God never causes what is bad. Indeed, "far be it from the true God to act wickedly." (Job 34:10)

Human imperfection is another reason for the suffering we experience. Sinful humans tend to struggle for dominance, and that often results in wars, oppression, and suffering. Ecclesiastes 8:9 aptly says: "Man has dominated man to his injury." A further reason for suffering is "time and unforeseen occurrence." (Ecclesiastes 9:11) People often experience calamity because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

• Jewish answer

God exists in any case.

Consider the two following quotes, which seem to clash. One is Isaiah 45:7, which clearly states that God "creates evil." The second is from Lamentations 3:38, which says "from the mouth of the Most High, evil...did not result." The answer to the contradiction may be seen in a third verse, Proverbs 19:3, which says "the foolishness of a man corrupts his way, yet his anger is directed against God." Meaning, that while some evil is undoubtedly created by God (such as the death of an infant), a lot of evil is the result of humans' choices. God has given us the gift of free-will (Deuteronomy 30:15-20); and without the possibility of bad results, free-will would be vitiated.
Entire books (such as Job) have long ago been written about the existence of suffering. Suffice it to say that Judaism sees the existence of evil as a test, and/or the result of our own (humans') bad choices, and/or a warning (such as pain, which shows you what part of your body needs repair) or a message (Genesis 42:22), and/or mere misinterpretation (such as the bee's sting, which to a child is unmitigated evil but which adults recognize as a protection for that insect which pollinates all fruit-bearing trees).

Answer 2

This is a difficult question; the answers are basically:* No god exists.

* A god (or gods) exist, but they are either unable to alleviate suffering, or don't really care.

* The god or gods have some other reason (a "higher purpose"), for such suffering.

You can find a more detailed explanation at the Wikipedia, and at the Iron Chariots website. Here are the corresponding links:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil

Iron Chariots: http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php?title=Problem_of_evil

Or, to find even more opinions on this topic, you can search the internet for "Problem of evil".

Answer 3

God exists in any case.

Rather, your question might be "Does God exist even though people suffer," or "What can we learn from suffering?"

Consider the two following quotes, which seem to clash. One is Isaiah 45:7, which clearly states that God "creates evil." The second is from Lamentations 3:38, which says "from the mouth of the Most High, evil...did not result."

The answer to the contradiction may be seen in a third verse, Proverbs 19:3, which says "the foolishness of a man corrupts his way, yet his anger is directed against God." Meaning, that while some evil is undoubtedly created by God (such as the death of an infant), a lot of evil is the result of humans' choices. God has given us the gift of free-will (Deuteronomy 30:15-20); and without the possibility of bad results, free-will would be vitiated.

Entire books (such as Job) have long ago been written about the existence of suffering.

• Link: About Job
  

Suffice it to say that Judaism sees the existence of evil as a test, and/or the result of our own (humans') bad choices, and/or a warning (such as pain, which shows you what part of your body needs repair) or a message (Genesis 42:22), and/or mere misinterpretation (such as the bee's sting, which to a child is unmitigated evil but which adults recognize as a protection for that insect which pollinates all fruit-bearing trees).

In any case, this life was never meant to be a walk in the park. People are meant to invest hard effort in this world (see Job 5:7), and suffering is a factor which should assist us in gaining understanding.

Suffering teaches us:

• our mistakes (Genesis 42:22)
  
• to repent
  
• that we are not all-powerful or in control
  
• that this life is not meant to be uninterrupted pleasure
  
• to have sympathy for sufferers (Exodus 23:9)
  
• humility; maturity; acceptance; fortitude.

Also, when viewed in the context of the afterlife, when worthy people who suffered may be recompensed and the prosperous wicked will have the opposite, the apparent injustices of this world become easier to understand.

Link: The afterlife