Q: What do I say to my children to justify all the bad things happening around the world when they know Jesus is caring?
Firstly, don’t hide or deflect the question and answer in an age-appropriate way, asking God for wisdom as you do. Remind your children that they are safe, even if we do live in a world where bad things do happen. You could give a brief outline of the battle between Jesus and Satan, but remind your child that Jesus promises to always be with us and that He cares for us. A good Bible text to use is 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Allow your child to wrestle with the question. Just being involved as a parent is powerful as children often reflect your attitude in theirs. Encouraging your child to draw, paint and play are good ways to help your child process their thoughts, feelings and anxiety. It is also fine to say, “I don’t know why but I do know that Jesus loves us no matter what.”
Read your children promises in the Bible about heaven and that the day is coming when God is going to make everything right. Teach them that, in the meantime, they can help God by helping others when things go wrong.
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