--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why the delay? Why does God let evil and…" description: "\"“Why the delay? Why does God let evil and pain so flagrantly exist, even thrive, on this planet?...He holds back for our sakes. Re-creation involves us..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/philip-yancey-840_creation_why-the-delay-why-does-god-let-evil-and_1626472.png" --- # Why the delay? Why does God let evil and pain so… ![“Why the delay? Why does God let evil and pain so flagrantly exist, even thrive, on this planet?...He holds back for our sakes. Re-creation involves us; we are, in fact, at the center of his plan...the motive behind all human history, is to develop us, not God. Our very existence announces to the…” quote by Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/philip-yancey-840_creation_why-the-delay-why-does-god-let-evil-and_1626472.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/philip-yancey-840_creation_why-the-delay-why-does-god-let-evil-and_1626472.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/philip-yancey-840_creation_why-the-delay-why-does-god-let-evil-and_1626472.png) > ““Why the delay? Why does God let evil and pain so flagrantly exist, even thrive, on this planet?...He holds back for our sakes. Re-creation involves us; we are, in fact, at the center of his plan...the motive behind all human history, is to develop us, not God. Our very existence announces to the powers in the universe that restoration is under way. Every act of faith by every one of the people of God is like the tolling of a bell, and a faith like Job's reverberates throughout the universe.”” [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God allows suffering to develop humanity, and faithful actions echo throughout the cosmos, contributing to a larger restorative plan. **In simple terms:** Suffering shapes growth; faith reverberates. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as growth opportunities. Themes faith suffering purpose Mood hopeful contemplative Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal loss - community service - prayer Key Concepts theodicy spiritual development Questions to Reflect On - How does personal pain inform your purpose? - What does “restoration” look like in your life? A Different Perspective The problem of evil remains unresolved for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creation Involves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation-involves-342278/) [Develop God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop-god-342279/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-existence/) [Good versus evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-versus-evil/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [People God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-god/) ## Related quotes > [Creation always involves building upon something else. There is no art that doesn't reuse. And there will be less art if every reuse is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/creation-always-involves-building-upon-something-else-there-is-no-art/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Pain happens to everyone. To grow up, to fulfill your potential, to develop into what God wants you to be-this process takes support. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/pain-happens-to-everyone-to-grow-up-to-fulfill-your-potential-to/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [God made man in his image to create, cultivate, and develop God's world. Source: Lewis, R. (2014). 33 Series: A man and his work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-made-man-in-his-image-to-create-cultivate-and-develop-god-s-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Buddha grew up in a relatively well-to-do family. although there were some fucked up moments, his childhood was filled with lots of play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vd/the-buddha-grew-up-in-a-relatively-well-to-do-family-although-there/) [VD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vd/) > [So often we try to develop Christian character and conduct without taking the time to develop God-centered devotion. We try to please God without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/so-often-we-try-to-develop-christian-character-and-conduct-without/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [The truth is you always grow to love the people you pray for. That’s because you develop God’s heart of love for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormie-omartian/the-truth-is-you-always-grow-to-love-the-people-you-pray-for-that-s/) [Stormie Omartian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormie-omartian/) > [Love is a gift from God, and as we obey His laws and genuinely learn to serve others, we develop God's love in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-haight-2/love-is-a-gift-from-god-and-as-we-obey-his-laws-and-genuinely-learn/) [David B Haight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-haight-2/) > [God loves people because of who God is, not because of who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-loves-people-because-of-who-god-is-not-because-of-who-we-are/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [We're taking action against evil people. Because this great nation of many religions understands, our war is not against Islam, or against faith practiced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-re-taking-action-against-evil-people-because-this-great-nation-of/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Battle scars from the war of good versus evil have a unique beauty all their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/battle-scars-from-the-war-of-good-versus-evil-have-a-unique-beauty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life isn't one-dimensional. The world isn't simply divided into good versus evil. I think we're all capable of both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/life-isn-t-one-dimensional-the-world-isn-t-simply-divided-into-good/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [“Time is tick, tick, ticking away. How many souls will I capture today? Will they be a challenge or will they be given? Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-kuykendall/time-is-tick-tick-ticking-away-how-many-souls-will-i-capture-today/) [A.K. Kuykendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-kuykendall/) > [I like to stay away from writing about good versus evil. I think the world is more complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/i-like-to-stay-away-from-writing-about-good-versus-evil-i-think-the/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [In fact, American presidents never apologize for what America does in war, because in the American mind, all its wars are defensive, always fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/in-fact-american-presidents-never-apologize-for-what-america-does-in/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [I look at my kids as the Harry Potter Generation. There's a sense of justice about that, in beating Voldemort. It's a classic tale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dirnt/i-look-at-my-kids-as-the-harry-potter-generation-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Mike Dirnt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dirnt/) ## More by Philip Yancey > [“God reproduces and lives out His image in millions of ordinary people like us. It is a supreme mystery. We are called to bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-reproduces-and-lives-out-his-image-in-millions-of-ordinary-people/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Love deems this world worth rescuing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/love-deems-this-world-worth-rescuing/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [People instinctively know the difference between something done with a profit motive and something done with a love motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/people-instinctively-know-the-difference-between-something-done-with/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [In a nutshell, the Bible from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22 tells the story of a God reckless with desire to get his family back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/in-a-nutshell-the-bible-from-genesis-3-to-revelation-22-tells-the/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [You can know the law by heart without knowing the heart of it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/you-can-know-the-law-by-heart-without-knowing-the-heart-of-it/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“I have marveled at, and sometimes openly questioned, the self-restraint God has shown throughout history, allowing the Genghis Khans and the Hitlers and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/i-have-marveled-at-and-sometimes-openly-questioned-the-self-restraint/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [C. S. Lewis observed that almost all crimes of Christian history have come about when religion is confused with politics. Politics, which always runs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/c-s-lewis-observed-that-almost-all-crimes-of-christian-history-have/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Having spent time around "sinners" and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/having-spent-time-around-sinners-and-also-around-purported-saints-i/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [I begin with confession not in order to feel miserable, rather to call to mind a reality I often ignore. When I acknowledge where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/i-begin-with-confession-not-in-order-to-feel-miserable-rather-to-call/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Jesus reserved his hardest words for the hidden sins of hypocrisy, pride, greed and legalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-reserved-his-hardest-words-for-the-hidden-sins-of-hypocrisy/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“What greater gift could Christians give to the world than the forming of a culture that upholds grace and forgiveness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/what-greater-gift-could-christians-give-to-the-world-than-the-forming/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“For us who are Christians, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof positive that love is stronger than hate, that life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/for-us-who-are-christians-the-death-and-resurrection-of-jesus-christ/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) [Explore all 351 Philip Yancey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) ## More Creation quotes > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [And wheresoever, in his rich creation, Sweet music breathes--in wave, or bird, or soul-- 'Tis but the faint and far reverberation Of that great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-sargent-osgood/and-wheresoever-in-his-rich-creation-sweet-music-breathes-in-wave-or/) [Frances Sargent Osgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-sargent-osgood/) > [I believe if there is a creator it will basically ask me two questions, how well did you enjoy my creation and what did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-believe-if-there-is-a-creator-it-will-basically-ask-me-two/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [With no other choices open to us, we'd turned our gaze seaward. The oceans were our America: they reached farther than any prairie, untamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carsten-jensen/with-no-other-choices-open-to-us-we-d-turned-our-gaze-seaward-the/) [Carsten Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carsten-jensen/) > [In the quiet moments of your day, what do you think and do? When you are with your Self and no one else, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/in-the-quiet-moments-of-your-day-what-do-you-think-and-do-when-you/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I think that storytelling and creation are very close to what the center of what magic is about. I think not just for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/i-think-that-storytelling-and-creation-are-very-close-to-what-the/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [To be part of the creation, I must act humbly. I'll take that over a goddess any day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-o-hara/to-be-part-of-the-creation-i-must-act-humbly-i-ll-take-that-over-a/) [Maureen O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-o-hara/) > [The country of Iraq is somewhat of an artificial creation going back to colonial days. And so you have the Kurds and then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-country-of-iraq-is-somewhat-of-an-artificial-creation-going-back/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) [Browse all 5,225 Creation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why the delay? Why does God let evil and pain so flagrantly exist, even thrive, on this planet?...He holds back for our sakes. Re-creation involves us; we are, in fact, at the center of his plan...the motive behind all human history, is to develop us, not God. 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