How do you handle when your kids ask tough theological questions? | DadHQ

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How do you handle when your kids ask tough theological questions?

Mar 5·1 min read

My 10 year old asked me why God allows bad things to happen to good people. I froze for a minute because I didn't want to give him some superficial answer. We ended up talking about suffering, trust, and how even when we don't understand God's plan we can trust His character. Then we prayed together. I'm not always sure I'm doing this right but I'm trying to model faith that asks real questions instead of just shutting them down. What do you guys do?

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Comments(3)

JJayRegularMar 7

That's a heavy one. I usually go with something like bad things happen because people have free will, and sometimes that means people make choices that hurt others. And sometimes it's just bad luck. Not always satisfying but it's honest. Your 10 year old probably appreciates you taking it seriously instead of just saying "God works in mysterious ways."

SSteve K.New DadMar 6

I've been there with that exact question. What I told my kids is that God doesn't always stop bad things from happening, but He helps us get through them. It's not perfect but it let me be real with them without falling apart. Good luck with the follow-up questions.

CChris P.RegularMar 6

This is the kind of question that shows your kid is thinking deeply about faith instead of just accepting it blindly. That's actually a good thing even though it's uncomfortable. I'd rather my kids ask hard questions than pretend they don't have doubts.