My 7 Year Old Asked the Hardest Question About God
We're at dinner and my son asks out of nowhere 'If God is good why do bad things happen to good people?' I sat there for a minute because this kid just asked something theologians have debated for centuries. Instead of giving him some watered down answer I told him the truth as best I understand it. That the world is broken but God is still good, that even when we don't understand everything He asks us to trust Him, and that faith isn't about having all the answers it's about having a relationship with Jesus. He seemed satisfied with that. Reminded me that my job isn't to have all the answers but to lead them to ask the right questions and point them toward Jesus for the answers that matter. Parenting is the hardest ministry I'll ever do.
Oh man, the theodicy question. We went through this a few months ago and honestly it was humbling. I told my son that sometimes the answer is 'I don't know' and that faith isn't about having all the answers. He seemed okay with that. Are you doing any religious education with him?