When "Better" Isn’t As Simple As It Sounds

I've addressed this question in the past (for instance, here and here): "Is this the best of all possible worlds?" Most of us—believers and unbelievers alike—can quickly picture ways the world could be "better." But for this post I'm mainly speaking to fellow Christians. Scripture warns us that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9). So we should be cautious about trusting our instincts when we define "better." When I use the word best, I don't mean "most comfortable" or "least painful"; I mean best for God's wise purposes and, for His people, for our ultimate good. Still, even believers can feel the pushback when I suggest that this world—right now—is, in an important sense, the best possible. After all, there's sin. Wouldn't it be better if there were no sin? And what about natural disasters, suffering, and the inevitability of death? Those don't feel like "best," do they?

A helpful starting point is the word possible. Christians know Heaven is coming—a world without tears, without death, without sin. In that ultimate sense, a "better world" is not only possible; it's promised. The more focused question is whether a better world is possible now, given what God is doing in history. In other words: if there were a genuinely better version of today that would better accomplish God's wise purposes, wouldn't a good, loving, all-powerful God bring that about? That question only works if we assume what Scripture teaches about God—that He is sovereign, perfectly good, and omniscient. If that's true, then what He permits in the present is not random or accidental. It is the world He has chosen to govern as the best means to His intended ends—our real good and His glory. Paul puts it like this: "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). All things. So, if that statement is true, then for this moment—this stage of God's plan—this is the best world that is possible in the sense that it perfectly fits what God is accomplishing right now.

So, is this the best of all possible worlds—period? Of course not. Heaven is on our horizon, and that will be best in every way. But within our current existence—our current "possibility," under God's present governance—is this the best world now? I'd suggest it is, precisely because God is sovereign and able to intend good even through what others intend for evil (Gen. 50:20). Saying this doesn't make evil less evil, and it doesn't remove grief. It does, however, change what we do with our suffering. For believers with a sovereign God, trials and hardships aren't surprises; they're part of the terrain. And if we can trust that God is at work at all times, bringing His good purposes to pass, then we can have real comfort—and a protection from despair—knowing God is with us and, in His own way, reminding us: "It's okay. I've got this."