Why does God allow suffering? By Steve Keeler
Scripture Job 1:8-22; "The Lord said to Satan, 'Have
you considered My servant Job? For there is no one
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man,
fearing God and turning away from evil.' Then Satan
answered the Lord, 'Does Job fear God for nothing?
Have You not made a hedge about him and his house
and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed
the work of his hands, and his possessions have
increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and
touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your
face.' Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he
has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on
him.' So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were
eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
a messenger came to Job and said, 'The oxen were
plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the
Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the
servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have
escaped to tell you.' While he was still speaking,
another also came and said, 'The fire of God fell from
heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and
consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.'
While he was still speaking, another also came and
said, 'The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a
raid on the camels and took them and slew the
servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have
escaped to tell you.' While he was still speaking,
another also came and said, 'Your sons and your
daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest
brother's house, and behold, a great wind came from
across the wilderness and struck the four corners of
the house, and it fell on the young people and they
died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.'
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head,
and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said,
'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I
shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.'
Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God."
John 9:1-3; "As He passed by, He saw a man blind
from birth. And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born
blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was neither that this man
sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of
God might be displayed in him.'"
The most violent earthquake to strike Haiti in 100
years, struck about 5:00 p.m. Tuesday evening.
Concrete buildings crumbled as though made of straw.
Haiti was in total chaos and people ran screaming in all
direction fearing for their lives. And rightly so, the death
toll is expected to be almost a quarter of a million
people. Two million are left homeless!
People both young and old, good and bad, saved and
lost, this disaster doesn't play favorites. It doesn't take
the time to check to see if someone is a Christian or
not, the devastation touches everyone.
Tragedy can strike our lives so quickly and without
warning irregardless of who you are.
It is often after a tragedy that we are either suffering or
we aware of others suffering that we ask the age old
question, the question asked by almost every Christian,
and by most atheist as well I guess, at one point or
another: How can an all powerful, loving God allow
such suffering to occur?
Surveys say this is the number one question people
would like to ask God. It's the number one reason
atheist and agnostics use to reject the existence of an
all powerful, loving God.
I know I've asked that question and I believe it's a
question that deserves an answer.
The Disciples asked Jesus the 'why' question
Back then, most people believed that suffering was the
result of sin. While the disciples were walking with
Jesus one day, they came across a man who had been
blind all his life. This was a great opportunity for the
'Why' question.
The disciples took advantage of the situation, in John
9:2-4 we read; "And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi,
who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be
born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was neither that this
man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the
works of God might be displayed in him.'"
Jesus does not give His disciples a simple answer to
the 'why' the man was blind however, I think He makes
it clear what the blindness would bring.
Jesus focused on what good will come from his
suffering saying, his blindness is not the result of his
sin or sins of the parents, this man is blind so the
Father will be glorified.
Ok, so what is the answer to "Why does God allow
suffering"? I'm going to give you three possible
answers to the age old question.
First The Theological Answer
The Bible teaches that suffering, in itself, is not evil.
The Bible does say that suffering is the result of sin,
the breaking of God's law. In Romans 5:12 we read;
"Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin
entered into the world, and death through sin, and so
death spread to all men, because all sinned."
You see God created each of us with the gift of 'Free
Will'. But back in the garden, the Bible tells us that bad
choices caused the world to change. Genesis 3:6-7
tells us that "When the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and
that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took
from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband
with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them
were opened, and they knew that they were naked..."
When Adam and Eve made the choice to rebel against
God, sin entered the world. The very first death, the
first blood sacrifice was offered by God, Himself,
Genesis 3:21 says "The Lord God made garments of
skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them."
Suffering and death was now part of the life of every
man, woman and child. The perfect harmony between
God and man was broken.
Mankind has been paying ever since. Sin and death
are the real problems of man. They help, in part, to
explain the problem of suffering.
Most of the suffering we experience is due to bad
decisions on our own part. It's our choice, our free will.
It's not fair therefore to blame God for our bad
decisions.
So could our all powerful, loving God eliminate all
suffering that we go through? Yes, absolutely He could.
God could have created us in a way that we could
never sin and everyone would love Him
unconditionally, by taking away our free will.
We wouldn't have suffering and death in the world and
we would all serve our God but now out of love, and we
would be much more like a flower or tree, maybe even
closer to robots.
God didn't want a world of robots so He, in His perfect
design, gave us free will, the ability to chose the path
we would walk. Right or wrong, good or bad, we can
choose.
Theologically therefore suffering happens because
God's perfect design has been trampled on by sin, as a
result of our free will choices.
Second Is The Disciples Answer
All of us have from time to time have experienced
suffering, those times when we are brought to our
knees. Times when we shout out at God in anger.
Times when we feel like giving up on the church, on
God, on life. Times when our comfort zones are no
where to be found. I'm pretty sure we have all been
there.
The Bible tells us again and again what these times
represent: 2 Corinthians Chapter 1 verse 4 The Apostle
Paul tells us that: Jesus comforts us in all our troubles
so that we can comfort others. So we can say, "I know
what you're going through because I've been there
too."
1 Peter 1:7 Peter says that our suffering is only to test
our faith, to show that it is pure and strong. Tested as
though tested by fire!
Romans Chapter 8 verse 18 the Apostle Paul says,
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us." Preparing us for the best
that's yet to come.
The Bible therefore seems to suggest that our suffering
helps us to identify and help others who are suffering.
We find it easier to care for people dealing with grief, to
identify people suffering from a particular disease or
health condition when we've experienced something
similar to their suffering. It's easier to help someone
struggling with faith when we too have stumbled in our
journey.
Finally, The Unknown Answer
Some suffering seemingly has no rhyme or reason. It's
not caused by another person's sin or our own. We're
not perfected in our faith by it. It's just tragic and no
explanation will do. The category doesn't fit neatly into
any box.
In the story of Job, God allows Job to lose all his family
and his possessions in a natural disaster, but Job
remains committed to God though it all.
A short time later, God allows Job to suffer from a
horrible disease so bad that he was disfigured and his
friends didn't recognize him. Job still remains
committed to God, but he starts asking the 'Why'
question.
Jobs friends try to tell Job that because of some sin in
his life, he deserve his losses, pain and suffering.
But, God interrupts and tells Job's friends that they're
wrong. Job hadn't sinned.
You can read the whole book of Job, holding your
breath, expecting a final answer to the age old question
"Why?", but the answer never comes.
Job's story demonstrates that there is not always going
to be an answer to our suffering - at least not in this
life. I will remind you now that our way is not God's way
and our plans are not His plans.
So, Will suffering ever end? Yes, our suffering will end.
God will cleanse the earth of sickness and sorrow, sin
and suffering, disease and death.
Revelation 21:3-4 "And I heard a loud voice from the
throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is
among men, and He will dwell among them, and they
shall be His people, and God Himself will be among
them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
and there will no longer be any death; there will no
longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first
things have passed away."
Truly, if we endure, we shall reign with Him in glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
