What do many religious teachers say about suffering? Suffering and death in this corrupted world are guaranteed for each of us. I was raped twice. Thank you so much for visiting CMB. Thanks Barb – I use Jetpack on my site and it is one of their options for social media. Question: "Why does God allow the innocent to suffer?" Why does God allow bad things to happen? Though He is able to stop it, He often doesn’t. But I do know two very important truths. … In other words: your suffering is not for you; it’s for the testimony that will be birthed through your suffering that will reveal the glory of God to others. Pain and suffering are an unavoidable part of our lives. 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. Yesterday, I answered the question – Why does God allow suffering? Not necessarily your own sin but the sin of others. The curious, as well as the critics of Christianity, ask this question. In God’s Word, we find hope for stormy times. How can a good God allow something so terrible to happen? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, then why does He allow evil and suffering in the world? Though God does not approve of sin and its consequences (suffering), nor is He responsible for it, it is here by His permission. 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. Required fields are marked *. Why do bad things happen to good people? This is not how God created things but it is God who is allowing them to continue for his divine plan. There is one person who stands out above all to give an answer to these deepest of questions, namely St. Paul . 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. 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. It … Dear Ryan, thank you so much for publishing this article. It is an offense against a holy God. It's our choice whether to accept God's free ticket to eternal life in paradise (Acts 4:12). Every trial we face, difficult as it may be, comes from the hand of God, who loves us and wants us to grow. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. 6 Many people blame God for all the suffering in the world because they think that God rules the world. So before we dive into the specific question of why does God allow suffering, let’s look at what the Bible says about suffering.. Let’s talk: Which quote is your favorite? Pain and suffering cause us to run to God with our need. Hi! But as we do, keep in mind that the most question is not why! There are no accidents in the life of the believer.”. 5. Wow, I love all of these, Deb. The first is God made us with free will and we turned away from him. Why does God allow evil? Why does your god allow suffering? First, this world is not the way God intended for it to be. Psalm 22:23a&24, Sometimes God allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Invading problems promote spiritual maturity. The curious, as well as the critics of Christianity, ask this question. "How dare you create a world in which there is such suffering” was the outburst of a well known atheist a few years ago. ~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! Good parents discipline their children, and God is a Good Father. 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! 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? And His name will be the hope of all the world. 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. Gumbel speaks of how for the most part suffering is caused by sin. 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? As Christians we are not immune to suffering. Everybody struggles through hardship—not just Christians. This occurred when Adam and Eve disobeyed God at the prompting of the devil. Current Issue January-February 2021 Subscribe. Many have been puzzled by the suffering we see in our world. People have struggled with theodicy (the problem of evil and suffering) for centuries. The Bible should always be our first stop in understanding God and the world around us. 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. View all posts by Deb. Amazing grace is no longer amazing to us. Your email address will not be published. Oftentimes, God allows you to go through something not because you’ve done something wrong, but because when you come out on the other side, your story will hold the key to help someone else. Job was a righteous man (Job 1:1), yet he suffered in ways that are almost beyond belief. Why does God allow evil? Here are sixteen Bible passages that help us understand why God allows the presence of evil and suffering in the … 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. Sin is permeating throughout all of God’s creation bringing imbalance, famine, earthquakes, disease, etc. My suspicion is that the best answer to this question is that your god probably doesn't exist. Plenty of useful information here. That’s where a lot of people stop and say, “Oh, we don’t know why. In his universal compassion, the creator of the world forged a path back to paradise, a bridge over the abyss of death. RELATED: Sex Addiction . I was impregnated as a teen and had a miscarriage God must have a reason for allowing evil and suffering but the reason is beyond human understanding. Nov 13, 2018 - It's a question that gets asked every day. Are natural disasters caused by God or Satan? I’ve been wanting to try that but can’t figure out how to do it. What does the Bible teach? Sin is the reason that we have afflictions, including death. And God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good (Genesis 1:31). God wants people to follow the example of Jesus and help those who are suffering. God is with us in our suffering. I don’t know all the reasons why God doesn’t intervene and stop all suffering and conflict and injustice. 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. I’m not sure if you mean the sidebar Pinterest box, that’s a WP plugin. For a few weeks as a novice I was a chaplain in a gray jail for kids. It is possible that human suffering (cancer, disease, etc.) First, God can use suffering of any kind to draw us into a closer relationship with Him. 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. 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. As Christians, we're anointed by God for eternal life with Him. – 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 as we learned in Chapter 3, the real ruler of the world is Satan the Devil. Every life is filled with trouble no matter who we are. God does not merely perform some kind of demonstration ("Hey, look, I am innocent, and I am also suffering because of your 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. God doesn’t remove us from pain and suffering, but ultimately, the Bible promises that God has and will finally defeat evil. 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. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Refresh and try again. If this life on Earth was all humans had to look forward to, then it might be said that God should not allow suffering. Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. Why does God allow suffering? When A Word Is Worth A Thousand Complaints (and When It Isn’t) Why … 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 is the result of mankind’s sin and rebellion against God (Genesis 3). God using suffering to draw us to Christ. 5 Pastors, priests, and religious teachers often say that it is God’s will that people suffer. Remember the verse I cited earlier—Hebrews 5:8? The Bible contains a lot of suffering, but surprisingly says little about it. Just how and why? Lewis asserted that pain is God’s “megaphone to rouse a deaf world,” but was quick to add, 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. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. Because of their disobedience God … Clearly suffering was brought into the world as a result of sin. 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. 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. So why does God allow pain and suffering? God is the designer of a plan that allowed for sin and suffering. God is not the source of evil, but he does allow us to experience suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-19. But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. Where I Answer a Reader’s Questions – Why? At some point, you’ve probably been asked why a loving God would allow suffering in the world. The fallenness of the world brings suffering. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. How much? Why do bad things happen even to good people? Why does God allow suffering? Every trial we face, difficult as it may be, comes from the hand of God, who loves us and wants us to grow. ~ Billy Graham,  Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for you. Why so much suffering? An assumption that God or a god exists is implicit in this discussion. 7, 8. ~ A.W.Tozer, And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. Your email address will not be published. Someday we will know—but not yet. Suffering is a total mystery,” instead of saying, “No. 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. Increasingly it seems to be every doubter’s trump card on matters of faith, and anything to do with the divine. I was wondering – how do you put that little text box on your pinterest pin? Share 2K. We have sympathy for those who suffer greatly and want to do what we can to help. God’s Faithfulness. ~ Jesus in Mark 14:36, Sometimes when we get overwhelmed, we forget how big God is. And obviously, thanks for your effort! Why does God allow abuse and torture of innocent children? God Permits Suffering First, the Bible affirms that God has chosen to permit suffering. Why Does God Allow Suffering? (I employed “can” here because suffering can also lead to rebellion. So there are a number of causes of pain and suffering. 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. 6. It’s God’s great reminder that this world is not our real home. 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. Mankind chose to … We shouldn’t, however, rule out the possibility. 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? Throughout the Bible people in suffering like Job, the Psalmist, and Jeremiah ask the Lord why. I'm so glad you're here! 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. Error rating book. God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way. All of our problems and our suffering, including death itself, are a result of man’s rebellion against God. 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. Principle #1: Suffering Teaches Us to Trust God Good parents discipline their children, and God is a Good Father. But God has provided a rescue in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. I was raped twice. Your privacy is important to me. The Bible doesn’t address the particular situation of each person. This is a difficult question and also a very common one. He doesn’t condemn them or us for asking why he lets us suffer. GOD ORDAINS SUFFERING TO DISCIPLINE HIS CHILDREN The book of Job forces us to pump the brakes on automatically assuming God is disciplining someone for their sin when they experience suffering. How can a good God allow a teen girl to be sexually violated by multiple men multiple times? A great deal of the suffering in the world is as a result of us having mortal bodies. A meditation. There are different reasons why God would allow suffering. July 23, 2019; Share Tuesday 23. Why Does God Allow Suffering? Someday we will know—but not yet. In fact, the Bible promises it. Principle #1: Suffering Teaches Us to Trust God. Suffering Reveals the Glory of God. 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. 2K Shares. 🙂. How can a good God allow a teen girl to be sexually violated by multiple men multiple times? 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. Why does God allow suffering? I was impregnated as a teen and had a miscarriage God … 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. Just how and why? ~ Brennan Manning, And His name will be the hope of all the world. Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering? But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. It Reminds Us of the Reality of Sin. Answer: There is so much suffering in the world, and it is felt by everyone to one degree or another. Ultimately, we can’t know all the reasons why God allows suffering, we just know that He does. I’m sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious. Pin 11. Maybe the answer to the question does the bible explain why God allows suffering is found here in the person of Jesus Christ. 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. My suspicion is that the best answer to this question is that your god probably doesn't exist. To answer that, we'll build on last week's episode and explore what it means to live sacrificially. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, “Suffering is a part of every life. I can't wait to tell you about it... and click the I'm a Blessing Counter Button! – For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. Can there be some suffering and God is still real? Why does God allow suffering? ~ Warren Wiersbe, Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God! There are no accidents in the life of the believer.” ― Greg Laurie, Why Does God Allow Suffering? Suffering is something that affects all of us at one time or another in our life. Suffering Is A Result Of Sin Suffering entered into God's universe as a result of sin. 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. Why does God allow suffering? Why God Allows Suffering Does God Punish? This was heaven and earth before the fall. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, then why does He allow evil and suffering in the world? 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. ~ C.S.Lewis Praise the Lord, all you who fear Him! Romans 8:17, We can’t, and we should not, compare sufferings. A little reminder in the shape of hardship or adversity may hopefully remind the human not to take God's blessings for granted: To start off with, God did create a world without suffering. Read my Privacy Policy. Before we speak to the question of why God allows children to suffer, we need to ask the bigger question: Why does God allow suffering to happen to any person, whether he’s two years old, two months old, or twenty years old? That’s why Christ died on the cross. Why does God allow suffering? 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. We come together as a family of God, hand in hand. There are no accidents in the life of the believer.” ― Greg Laurie, Why Does God Allow Suffering? Suffering and adversity remind us not to allow ourselves to become overly comfortable here. 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 A deep devotion to the human by God, the Bible doesn ’ t address the particular situation of person... The person of His Son, Jesus Christ God Permits suffering first, this is. Experience suffering evil and injustice quote is your favorite best answer to question... 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