What is the Epicurean Paradox that so many critics like to launch at Christians? This is, essentially, the “problem of evil and suffering.” It goes like this: “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
So, critics essentially assert, “Christians believe that GOD is all-powerful and GOD is all-loving, but Christians also acknowledge there is evil and suffering. Therefore, this is a trilemma because it’s incongruous! How can an all-powerful and all-loving GOD sit back and watch so much evil and suffering?”
However, it’s not a trilemma because Christians also believe that GOD is all-wise. Our theology doesn’t end at the first two. Further, we believe that GOD is eternal and works through time. Just by bringing in those two elements into the equation, it changes the entire paradigm. GOD does not conquer in spite of the dark mystery of evil and suffering; rather, GOD conquers through evil, pain, and suffering and shapes, molds, forms us into the people we are intended to be. This process is called sanctification. In other words, it’s time provided for people to mature, to grow up. This life is a refinery where the dross must be removed so we can be purified vessels for holy living. In this lifetime, we should be consistently improving, growing closer in our relationship with GOD, and reflecting the image of Christ more and more as we’re being refined. Essentially, this life is boot camp training for the next.
Further, GOD does have morally sufficient reasons for permitting evil in the world. And finally, the critics often say, “Well then why doesn’t GOD do anything?” Not only does GOD change hearts and minds on a daily basis, but GOD did in fact do something about evil and suffering. That’s why Christ Jesus willingly became the sacrifice on our behalf— to get rid of the problem and provide an eternal solution. And the only reason the critic does not understand this is because the critic does not understand the parable of tares among wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). Each person’s entire lifetime is evidence he/she will not be able to deny when he/she stands before the Judge.
But if you struggle with the concepts of evil and pain and suffering, all of this is explained in great detail in the following articles:
Quest For Truth 
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