The ever-pressing issue of why God allows suffering and atrocious evil acts in this world is a weighty topic, and Dr. Tim Muehlhoff — professor of communication and consultant at Biola’s Center for Marriage & Relationships — tackles this question in his recent book, Eyes to See, co-authored with Biola professor and philosopher J.P. Moreland. Hosts of Focus on the Family podcast Jim Daly and John Fuller invited Muehlhoff to share wisdom on the topic in a recent interview, aired on two episodes of the Focus on the Family Broadcast.

In the first episode — “Seeing God’s Grace pt. 1” — Muehlhoff introduces the idea of common grace, which Muehlhoff claims is a concept that does not get proper recognition. He discusses how people typically want a flashy, undeniable miracle to intervene with terrible things on earth, however, common grace is the unremembered way that God interacts with humans on Earth. He uses modern medicine, hypothetical thinking and communication as examples of concepts that would fall under common grace.

“Why don’t we hear more clearly from God?” said Muehlhoff, “This is where I rediscovered common grace. Something that we don’t often talk about, but God’s common grace is one answer to what we call the problem of evil, the problem of suffering. I think that this is an important way that God is interacting with everyone in the world.”

In the second episode — “Seeing God’s Grace pt. 2” — Muehlhoff focuses more on social problems in the world and why God may not stop events such as war and terror attacks. Muehlhoff explains that if God steps in and completely stops all evil from happening in the world, people would not have the free will to make choices.

“You have to change the human heart,” said Muehlhoff.

Muehlhoff concluded his time on the podcast with a message to those struggling with doubts and questions.

“There is nothing wrong with you,” said Muehlhoff. “You are walking a path that the giants of the faith have walked.”

Learn more about Biola’s Communication Studies program.

Muehlhoff’s other books can be found on his website.

Written by Ryan Wingert, strategic communications assistant. For more information, please contact media.relations@biola.edu.