If God Saw That the World Was “Very Good,” Why Is There So Much Suffering?

Lior asks: “The Torah says that God saw the world and found it ‘very good.’ How is that possible, when most people seem to suffer, work hard, and rarely enjoy life? I believe in the World to Come, but I still don’t see where the goodness of God appears in this world.”

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Modern culture trains us to focus on the negative. News and media magnify fear, tragedy, and outrage, because that’s what draws attention. The result is a distorted perception, causing people to think that the world is mostly suffering.

In reality, the vast majority of people on Earth are not starving, not constantly sick, and not living in danger. Humanity has been blessed with extraordinary abundance, beauty, and comfort.

If greed and injustice were removed, there would be no poverty at all. The world provides far more than enough for everyone.

Every Peaceful Moment Is a Gift

At this very instant, if you are not hungry, thirsty, freezing, burning, or in pain, then this moment is objectively good.

We often ignore the millions of such peaceful moments that make up most of our lives. Our minds are filled with worries, memories, and fears of the future — but these are imaginary sufferings, not actual ones.

Try this simple exercise: Take a deep breath. Feel the air filling your lungs. Look around with childlike eyes and notice where you are.
Right now, in this moment, there is nothing bad. You are alive. You are safe. You can breathe, see, think, and feel.

This moment is perfect. The past is gone, the future hasn’t arrived, and the present is full of peace.

Once a day, pause, stop the rushing thoughts, and simply observe the goodness of your present state. By doing so, you’ll begin to realize that most of your existence is calm, comfortable, and good.

The Parable of the Woodcutter

An old parable tells of a woodcutter who constantly complained about his hard life, shouting, “When will the Angel of Death come for me already?” One day, the Angel appeared and asked, “You called me?” Terrified, the man stammered, “Yes… I only wanted help lifting my logs.”

Even those who complain about life, cling to it desperately when faced with death. Deep down, everyone knows that life itself is a priceless gift.

You don’t need to face death to appreciate life. With daily awareness and gratitude, you can begin to see the divine goodness that surrounds you every day.

The Hidden Goodness All Around Us

Every one of us carries within our head the most sophisticated machine in the universe — the human brain, with over 100 billion neurons working in perfect coordination, allowing us to think, move, and feel.

Our bodies are miracles of divine engineering. Who would trade their eyesight for a million dollars? Or their hearing, sense of taste, touch, or the ability to walk?

Even something as small as a thumbnail or an eyelash has a purpose. Eyelashes protect our eyes; and fingertips enhance our sense of touch. Every detail was designed with wisdom and love.

We rarely notice how many free gifts we receive daily — each of them worth more than all the gold in the world.

The Overflowing Kindness of the Creator

God could have created a simple, colorless, functional world, but instead, He filled it with beauty, variety, and pleasure: thousands of fruits, vibrant landscapes, music, color, and love.

He gave us far more than we need for survival — so that we can enjoy His creation and recognize His kindness. As Maimonides wrote in The Guide for the Perplexed (Part 3, Chapter 12): “People often imagine that evil in the world outweighs good. But most of the suffering that afflicts humanity comes from their own hands... Those who chase after luxury suffer from lacking what they do not need, while ignoring the abundance of what they already have. Notice that what is most necessary — air, water, and food, is also most abundant and cheapest. In this the kindness and goodness of God toward His creatures is revealed.”

The more essential a thing is, the more freely available it is.
Air, the most vital, is everywhere. Water, the next, is plentiful. Only unnecessary luxuries are scarce. This hierarchy itself shows the Creator’s mercy and wisdom.

Seeing the World as “Very Good”

It’s easy to forget how much we’ve been given. The ability to see, hear, walk, think, and love, are all a daily miracle. Even our smallest features, like eyebrows that keep sweat from our eyes, reveal divine care.

Most people do not live in constant suffering. Most live surrounded by abundance and beauty, but fail to notice it. The Torah reminds us to stop, to look, and to give thanks for the gifts of life. When we do, we discover that the world truly is “very good.”

The Greatest Gift: The Soul and the Torah

Above all, God gave humanity the greatest gift — the soul, created in His image: “And God created man in His image.” (Genesis 1:27)

Through the Torah and its commandments, we learn how to live with righteousness, compassion, and justice: “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” (Michah 6:8)

The Torah teaches us how to resemble our Creator and draw near to Him, in this life and the next.

If this world — with all its beauty — is merely a preparation for eternal life, how unimaginably wondrous must the World to Come be, where divine goodness shines without limit.