I was raped twice. We shouldn’t, however, rule out the possibility. The Bible is insistent we not try to answer that question. The problem of suffering. Keller responds to the question of human suffering in this manner: “There are two answers. I'm so glad you're here! I was wondering – how do you put that little text box on your pinterest pin? I'm Deb Wolf, a recovering “good little church girl” who has been transformed by grace into a joy-filled blessing counter crazy in love with Jesus. It's our choice whether to accept God's free ticket to eternal life in paradise (Acts 4:12). Required fields are marked *. The only way to begin answering this question is to view our fallen world from God's perspective. Where I Answer a Reader’s Questions – Why? What we’ve just stumbled upon is known as The Problem of Evil and it’s been around ever since the first human stubbed their toe- maybe even before that! For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ~ Brennan Manning, And His name will be the hope of all the world. People have struggled with theodicy (the problem of evil and suffering) for centuries. Why does God allow abuse and torture of innocent children? In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. Psalm 119:50, God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way. Why does God allow suffering? Pain and suffering are an unavoidable part of our lives. Why do bad things happen to good people? Lewis asserted that pain is God’s “megaphone to rouse a deaf world,” but was quick to add, However, it will draw us closer as we place our faith in … Mankind chose to … The Bible should always be our first stop in understanding God and the world around us. Psalm 119:76, Even if we may not always understand why God allows certain things to happen to us, we can know He is able to bring good out of evil, and triumph out of suffering. In order to understand some of the big questions that surround this topic we have to look at God’s plan as a whole. The moment we accept the fact that our ordeal has been permitted, even intended by God, our perspective will change. That’s where a lot of people stop and say, “Oh, we don’t know why. Why Does God Allow Suffering? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, then why does He allow evil and suffering in the world? View all posts by Deb. Why not nip the entire suffering business in the bud – at the beginning of the world? It is possible that human suffering (cancer, disease, etc.) Why does God allow suffering? Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering? Many argue, "Why would an all-powerful, all-loving God allow pain and suffering?" And obviously, thanks for your effort! Read my Privacy Policy. This is a question that has baffled people for generations and I am going to give you a great theological answer right now: I don’t know. Suffering and death in this corrupted world are guaranteed for each of us. Suffering is a total mystery,” instead of saying, “No. Suffering and adversity remind us not to allow ourselves to become overly comfortable here. Having offered those initial comments, Lewis presented at least three key purposes for suffering, the first of which I’ll address here: Suffering can lead us to humility. It Reminds Us of the Reality of Sin. Everybody struggles through hardship—not just Christians. Why would a good God allow so much pain and suffering- or for that matter, why would a good God allow any pain and suffering at all? 7, 8. The book of Job deals with the issue of why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Sometimes, people suffer as the direct result of their own poor choices, sinful actions, or willful irresponsibility; in those cases, we see the truth of Proverbs 13:15, “The way of the treacherous is their ruin” (ESV). I need to keep reading my Bible.” When it comes to macro reasons for why there is suffering in the world, the Bible is rich with helpfulness. This does not mean that people who are suffering are always the cause of their own suffering; often people suffer because of the sins of others. God understands this. He doesn’t condemn them or us for asking why he lets us suffer. A little reminder in the shape of hardship or adversity may hopefully remind the human not to take God's blessings for granted: But as we learned in Chapter 3, the real ruler of the world is Satan the Devil. Refresh and try again. ~ C.S.Lewis, Praise the Lord, all you who fear Him! 3- Suffering through hardship and adversity is also a reminder for people who tend to take God's blessings for granted. God uses suffering to build our character. Wonderful web site. RELATED: Sex Addiction . Error rating book. What do many religious teachers say about suffering? We come together as a family of God, hand in hand. Psalm 43:5, We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of God. But for the believer, for the child of God, whatever comes into our life first comes through the grid of God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Every trial we face, difficult as it may be, comes from the hand of God, who loves us and wants us to grow. Why so much suffering? First, this world is not the way God intended for it to be. An assumption that God or a god exists is implicit in this discussion. 6. 5 Pastors, priests, and religious teachers often say that it is God’s will that people suffer. Ultimately, we can’t know all the reasons why God allows suffering, we just know that He does. Read This Issue. In fact, it might mean you’re right in the centre of His will. Suffering and death in this corrupted world are guaranteed for each of us. All that we suffer … builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven …” 6 This was heaven and earth before the fall. Here are sixteen Bible passages that help us understand why God allows the presence of evil and suffering in the … RELATED: Sex Addiction . Every life is filled with trouble no matter who we are. So there are a number of causes of pain and suffering. This is a difficult question and also a very common one. There are no accidents in the life of the believer.” ― Greg Laurie, Why Does God Allow Suffering? Why does God allow suffering? And His name will be the hope of all the world. In fact, the Bible promises it. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, then why does He allow evil and suffering in the world? But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. The Bible contains a lot of suffering, but surprisingly says little about it. Why does God allow suffering? Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. My suspicion is that the best answer to this question is that your god probably doesn't exist. What verse do you turn to when life is hard? Many have been puzzled by the suffering we see in our world. God doesn’t remove us from pain and suffering, but ultimately, the Bible promises that God has and will finally defeat evil. We have sympathy for those who suffer greatly and want to do what we can to help. Sin is the reason that we have afflictions, including death. The question is often asked: “If God is all-powerful and all-good, why does He allow suffering?” For some, this is not just an abstract logical conundrum, but a deeply personal cry of despair, welling up from intense personal pain. When A Word Is Worth A Thousand Complaints (and When It Isn’t) Why … Each of us knows firsthand what it means to suffer as a result of … God must have a reason for allowing evil and suffering but the reason is beyond human understanding. God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way. A deep devotion to the Lord never excuses us from pain and trial. Romans 8:17, We can’t, and we should not, compare sufferings. Suffering is a key component to temporal and eternal opportunities for happiness, whether that suffering be inflicted through personal carelessness and disobedience, or because of the weaknesses and mistakes of others, or because the Lord sees fit to allow us to be tried and chastened. Reframing the Question. How much? When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. Answer: There is so much suffering in the world, and it is felt by everyone to one degree or another. Psalm 10:17, The spirituality of wonder knows the world is charged with grace, that while sin and war, disease and death are terribly real, God’s loving presence and power in our midst are even more real. We need to see how great God is; we need to recover our lost perspective on life., Things get out of proportion when we are suffering, and it takes a vision of something bigger than ourselves to get life’s dimensions adjusted again. To start off with, God did create a world without suffering. I was raped twice. Suffering Reveals the Glory of God. Pastor Greg Laurie shares a message entitled "Why Does God Allow Suffering, Part 1" from Job 1. Why Does God Allow Suffering? Suffering is the result of mankind’s sin and rebellion against God (Genesis 3). We’d love your help. Paul was doing God’s will, yet he found himself in a Roman prison. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. 2 Corinthians 1:4, When you and I hurt deeply, what we really need is not an explanation from God but a revelation of God. God wants people to follow the example of Jesus and help those who are suffering. Just how and why? Pain and suffering cause us to run to God with our need. Amazing grace is no longer amazing to us. I was impregnated as a teen and had a miscarriage 2K Shares. A meditation. Yesterday, I answered the question – Why does God allow suffering? Tweet. How can a good God allow something so terrible to happen? Various answers have been given but permanently settling the issue is impossible (this side of heaven) because so many of our answers raise further questions. Your email address will not be published. But the level most people are concerned with is, why does God allow my suffering? Why does God allow suffering? God bless you! I’ve been wanting to try that but can’t figure out how to do it. But I do know two very important truths. Because it was his suffering that brought about our salvation. This occurred when Adam and Eve disobeyed God at the prompting of the devil. How can a good God allow a teen girl to be sexually violated by multiple men multiple times? Share 2K. Why Does God Allow So Much Suffering in the World? (I employed “can” here because suffering can also lead to rebellion. Suffering makes us remember that, if we know the Lord Jesus, we’re citizens of a far better, future world, where every tear will be wiped away, and all pain and sorrow will be removed. It is an offense against a holy God. Principle #1: Suffering Teaches Us to Trust God Good parents discipline their children, and God is a Good Father. That’s not an easy question to answer, but certain Bible passages tell us that God may display his works or deepen our belief in him during times of suffering. It’s fun reading the Bible verses mixed with the quotes. I was impregnated as a teen and had a miscarriage Job was a righteous man (Job 1:1), yet he suffered in ways that are almost beyond belief. Someday we will know—but not yet. ~ C.S.Lewis Praise the Lord, all you who fear Him! As Christians, we're anointed by God for eternal life with Him. God … Why does your god allow suffering? Dear Ryan, thank you so much for publishing this article. I have overcome the world. ~Jesus in John 16:33, You may never know that JESUS is all you need, until JESUS is all you have. Why does God allow suffering? The presence of evil and suffering in the universe is certainly consistent with there not being an omnipotent, omniscience, and omnibenevolent god. Suffering Is A Result Of Sin Suffering entered into God's universe as a result of sin. Welcome back. Why does God allow suffering? Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Pin 11. Are natural disasters caused by God or Satan? There are no accidents in the life of the believer.” ― Greg Laurie, Why Does God Allow Suffering? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Clearly suffering was brought into the world as a result of sin. Our pain is real. God does not merely perform some kind of demonstration ("Hey, look, I am innocent, and I am also suffering because of your suffering"). And then together coming and standing upon the promises of God, knowing that no matter who you are, no matter what you’re going through, that God knows it, He is with you, He is going to pull you through. 🙂. Despite all the blessings given to the human by God, the human being is unappreciative. Matthew 12:21. Suffering is a key component to temporal and eternal opportunities for happiness, whether that suffering be inflicted through personal carelessness and disobedience, or because of the weaknesses and mistakes of others, or because the Lord sees fit to allow us to be tried and chastened. 5. The fallenness of the world brings suffering. As will be seen, there are several reasons why God would allow suffering to occur in the world, but all of them, according to the Christian view, would have to be linked to the advancement of love – the free appropriation of love. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. My suspicion is that the best answer to this question is that your god probably doesn't exist. … But as we do, keep in mind that the most question is not why! Psalm 22:23a&24, Sometimes God allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves. Today, let’s look at what scholars, theologians, and the writers of the Bible have to say on the subject of God and suffering: God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering. I think of … I'm glad you're here. We’re going to consider a number of aspects to this issue. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. ~Joni Eareckson Tada,  I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! That includes the curses of pain, disease, sorrow, and death that attend the consequences of wickedness. Hebrews 12:10-11 states, “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Please visit About Blessing Counting and Deb at the top of the page, and don't forget to leave a comment and subscribe before you go. It's our choice whether to accept God's free ticket to eternal life in paradise (Acts 4:12). All of our problems and our suffering, including death itself, are a result of man’s rebellion against God. Not necessarily your own sin but the sin of others. Various answers have been given but permanently settling the issue is impossible (this side of heaven) because so many of our answers raise further questions. This does not mean that people who are suffering are always the cause of their own suffering; often people suffer because of the sins of others. Invading problems promote spiritual maturity. I can't wait to tell you about it... and click the I'm a Blessing Counter Button! I’m sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious. First, this world is not the way God intended for it to be. But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. Though God does not approve of sin and its consequences (suffering), nor is He responsible for it, it is here by His permission. The path of obedience is often marked by times of suffering … Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, “Suffering is a part of every life. God is the designer of a plan that allowed for sin and suffering. © CountingMyBlessings, 2020. Did God create evil, or does He just allow it? can be a means that God uses to remove the person from further suffering, worse suffering, or future suffering. Why do bad things happen even to good people? So why does God allow pain and suffering? The curious, as well as the critics of Christianity, ask this question. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Counting My Blessings  – at the Intersection of Faith and Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Some suffering is not the result of the sufferer's sin, such as in the case of children. Suffering is something that affects all of us at one time or another in our life. Is it good to suffer? 2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, … There are different reasons why God would allow suffering. Of course, this does not seem to be a very good option because if God was intending to stop further suffering, why would He use suffering to stop it? Because of their disobedience God … Sin is permeating throughout all of God’s creation bringing imbalance, famine, earthquakes, disease, etc. All verses are taken from the New Living Translation unless otherwise stated. God allowed Satan to do everything he wanted to Job except kill him, and Satan did his worst. God is not the source of evil, but he does allow us to experience suffering. It’s God’s great reminder that this world is not our real home. Wow, I love all of these, Deb. One day, our suffering will end. "How dare you create a world in which there is such suffering” was the outburst of a well known atheist a few years ago. Why does God allow suffering? Increasingly it seems to be every doubter’s trump card on matters of faith, and anything to do with the divine. What The Bible Says About Suffering . The curious, as well as the critics of Christianity, ask this question. That’s why Christ died on the cross. Like many others right now, I am going through a tough time as we near the end of 2020. Why does your god allow suffering? Your privacy is important to me. But I do know two very important truths. There are no accidents in the life of the believer.”. In his universal compassion, the creator of the world forged a path back to paradise, a bridge over the abyss of death. Every trial we face, difficult as it may be, comes from the hand of God, who loves us and wants us to grow. There were so many good points you proved not just why if God exist, but why he allows evil and suffering to continue, sometimes prosper. The presence of evil and suffering in the universe is certainly consistent with there not being an omnipotent, omniscience, and omnibenevolent god. Why do many people blame God for all the suffering in the world? Thanks Barb – I use Jetpack on my site and it is one of their options for social media. Rain falls upon every life. ~ Billy Graham,  Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for you. But for the believer, for the child of God, whatever comes into our life first comes through the grid of God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Maybe the answer to the question does the bible explain why God allows suffering is found here in the person of Jesus Christ.  Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for you. There are many people who cling to the belief that God does not punish, but this depends on what you mean by punishment. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. This is not how God created things but it is God who is allowing them to continue for his divine plan. ~ A.W.Tozer, And since we are His children, we are His heirs. No. How to Start the Year with Faith and Hope, How to Fight Spiritual Battles for the People You Love, Jesus Has What You Need to Change Your Life, How to Have Contagious Joy This Christmas. Even a quick look at the Bible bears witness to the fact that we aren’t the first to walk down the difficult roads of disappointment, persecution, and bitterness. ~ Jesus in Mark 14:36, Sometimes when we get overwhelmed, we forget how big God is. – For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. But God has provided a rescue in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. But for the believer, for the child of God, whatever comes into our life first comes through the grid of God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Principle #1: Suffering Teaches Us to Trust God. If God was real, then He would not allow children to die, He would not allow people to starve, He would not allow good people to die, He would not allow bad people to hurt others, etc… At what point does suffering disprove there is a God? The Scriptures tell us that suffering came into the world as a consequence of the fall of man and of creation; that is to say, it is because of sin that God has visited judgment upon this planet. Suffering drives us to dependence on God. Clearly suffering was brought into the world as a result of sin. A great deal of the suffering in the world is as a result of us having mortal bodies. Hi! We sometimes ask, “If there is a loving God, why does He stand back and do nothing while the world is full of suffering?” Suffering in our own lives can be a big problem. If this life on Earth was all humans had to look forward to, then it might be said that God should not allow suffering. What does the Bible teach? No man will learn from the suffering of another; he must suffer himself.” ~ James H. Aughey #9 “When you suffer and lose, that does not mean you are being disobedient to God. To answer that we must first ask, “Would a good god eliminate pain and suffering?” C. S. Lewis addressed this very question in his book The Problem of Pain. Many argue, "Why would an all-powerful, all-loving God allow pain and suffering?" Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. – For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. Your email address will not be published. God using suffering to draw us to Christ. Some may say that everything that happens to a person, including tragedies, has already been decided by God and that we can never understand why. Thank you so much for visiting CMB. 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