This brings us to another aspect of the issue – the problem of evil or of suffering in the world. People say that if there is suffering in the world, there cannot be a merciful God controlling the universe. This leads some to not believe in God. However this also becomes completely understandable looked at with reference to the creation plan of God. God Himself has given man freedom as per His creation plan. The granting of freedom did involve the risk of some people misusing their freedom and misuse it they did. When people misused their freedom, other people faced problems. This gave rise to the problem of human suffering.

Therefore it is not right to say that since there is suffering in the world, there cannot be a merciful God. The correct interpretation is that since God has given man freedom to act as he wills, this leads to certain people misusing their freedom, which results in suffering in the world.

Suffering or the problem of evil is, in fact, an outcome of the misuse of freedom by people. Looking at suffering with respect to the creation plan of God, we will not consider it as a problem of evil but as a definite outcome of the freedom given to man. We will, in fact, think that this is a very small price to pay for the freedom given to us.