When children ask the big questions of life 

When children ask why, an important dialogue begins. What’s needed are not perfect answers, but genuine support in everyday family life. 

As parents, we are often challenged to explain faith in God to our children in a way that is understandable to them and relevant to their lives. One of the most difficult questions children can ask is: “Why doesn’t God make everything good?” This is a question that preoccupies many theologians, as it touches on the very core of faith and our understanding of suffering and hope in the world. It is profound and complex and offers an opportunity to talk to our children about faith, freedom, and our responsibility as humans. Through honest conversations, Bible stories, and modelling our lives on the Christian values we have been taught, we can help our children develop a deep and resilient relationship with God. Let us remind them that God loves us and accompanies us in all situations of life. With this certainty, they can learn to appreciate and preserve their faith and hope even in difficult times. 

How to talk about it? 

Honesty and child-friendly explanations: It is important to be genuine and honest. Children quickly sense when adults are evasive or dishonest. We can explain to our children that God has created a perfect world. Yet because people have their own will, they do not always treat one another with love and care. 

Human responsibility: An important aspect that children should understand is freedom of choice. We can explain that God did not create human beings as puppets, but as independent beings who can choose between doing good or evil. This freedom also means that we are responsible for our actions. We can help children see that through our own choices and decisions we can make life better for others. 

God is always with us: Children should know that God is always with us, even if we cannot always understand Him. We can tell them about God’s love and care, which carries us through difficult times. A simple prayer or reading Bible stories together can strengthen this trust. 

Hope and compassion: We can encourage children to bring compassion and hope into the world. Small acts of kindness and charity can make a real difference. As a family or congregation, we can look for practical ways of doing good. We can help others by donating, helping them, or simply through a friendly gesture or an act of kindness. In this way, children learn that they themselves can bring about good and that God also works through them to bring good to others. 

Photo: gera85 – stock.adobe.com

About the author

Maraike Finnern is a teacher and school counsellor at a primary school in Hamburg, Germany. She heads the Working Group Children and Teaching for the Regional Church of Northern and Eastern Germany.