But there is evil in the world. April 16, 2021 Suffering can show up in many ways. Pain is, in most cases, a good thing. If you're wondering why God allows us to experience pain and failures, let me encourage you: He loves you, that's why He allows them to happen. Pain and suffering was not present. Dont forget to share your thoughts! Will Graham Devotion: 3 Reminders in Your Suffering, Will Graham Devotion: Suffering for Jesus. While the Bible teaches that sometimes God allows pain for specific reasons (see below), the ultimate reason why such suffering is even possible is that the world is fallen. Why is there pain in the world? What Does it Mean to Taste and See that the Lord is Good? In Second Corinthians we read: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. And thats the Gospel, right? His promise is that one day it will end, but until then He will be with us. In other words, deny yourself what you want, and then follow me. Id love to hear from you! One way is to curse God because of our suffering and the other is to praise God, even in the midst of our suffering. Pain will mold you and shape you into who God is creating you to be. I've been there. We might not like it, but it protects us and produces good things in us. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. We should not waste the trials in this life, but rather use them as an opportunity to turn to the Lord and draw close to Him in trusting faith, remembering that the goodness of God endures continually (Psalm 52:1b) and His mercies are new every morninggreat is His faithfulness. Believers are saved but not fully sanctified. Let me explain. Some people mistakenly believe that Gods children wont (or shouldnt) experience pain. While that might sound like a good thing, its not, its more like hell living in this world without pain. Twice in the verse below Paul states that the reason for his thorn in the flesh was to keep him from becoming conceited. (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). Yet God doesn't always demonstrate his power and the Bible Long before people in the twenty-first century asked questions about God and suffering, faithful men and women in the Bible had been wrestling with them. If God is good, the thinking goes, he would eliminate pain and suffering. Jesus told his followers, "Go and make disciples of all nations.". In other words, Christians still sin. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, we are all fallen creatures living in a fallen worldand we are all subject to the consequences of our sin and that of others. Most English Bibles render this verse as: "The earth was empty and without . The church is also meant to be a refuge for those who are suffering. "It is safe to say that both skeptic and believer alike share one opinion in common: The question of pain and suffering provides the greatest challenge to belief in God." In WHY SUFFERING?, Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale provide the 10 primary reasons why a loving God might allow suffering --- why the existence of suffering does not negate . And I get that. When will this end? Reasons for Hope* Jesus is donor supported. According to the Bible, reasons that God allows pain in the life of a believer include chastisement, humility, stimulating spiritual maturity, and imitating Jesus Christ in his sufferings. Also see Why Does God Let People Suffer? Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.". 2023 BGEA You and I are not the center. Again the question not so quietly arises. Where did OT Saints go at death? But we shouldnt run from pain. We too have played the role of sinner, harming others with the choices we make. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. God came to earth and suffered with us in His pursuit of us. The Bible says, Great is the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16). At the time there was no chaos, no pain, no suffering. Not even someone as important to Gods work as the Apostle Paul escaped pain and suffering. The Bible actually does the opposite, it promises that we will experience pain in this life. With God allowing the Holocaust do you think another Holocaust will ever happen? But then sin entered the world. He was a pastor for 10 years. Now you ask, why does God allow pain, suffering, and failure in our lives? Use PayPal or a Credit Card for safe, secure giving. 1. Its important that we recognize that suffering is a battleground. When we suddenly bear an affliction, our pride, impatience, and unbelief will often surface. One of the greatest gifts of God is free will. We dont know the answer. And we may never know until God explains all things to us. Permissions Many agnostics believe that God is a punishing, vengeful being indifferent to our pains and suffering. Thats a different topic that you can read here: Why Does God Allow Suffering? God can still use that for good, but I would hesitate to call suffering good. (Rom. Pain and suffering are realities in our everyday life. He confirms that the world is fallen because we are out of the relationship with God that we are meant to live in. I saw compassion in action. You might also like: 7 Surprising Truths About Death. But in a monotheistic worldview, why would God allow pain and suffering? 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DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. Again, let me reiterate Im not talking about suffering. Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.". to learn more. Sin lurks at each of our doors. God May Be Allowing This Emotional Suffering in Your Life Because He Wants a Deeper Relationship with You Moody. While the Bible has valuable things to say on the topic of suffering, it doesnt directly answer our question. As fire swept through the MGM Grand Hotel, I saw the emergency crews, the military people, The Salvation Army, the Red Cross, the doctors, the nurses and the people coming to donate clothes and food. for he hath said,I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5). I know that. We ought to say, O God, I believe You are the great and mighty God. 3:13 ). (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). No, because the sacrifice of all those innocent souls ;who are now living in paradise and realize why their pain was put upon them, gave us the knowledge to prevent something similar from happening in the future. The suffering we experience we see as too harmful, the damage too extreme, to be repaired much less be used for something good. It will all be over. Theres also pain and suffering that occurs from the consequences of our sin or when we are a victim of anothers sinful actions. Still, what did God do after Adam and Eve fell? He will always do what will be good for us (see Romans 8:28-30). Because of love. The hope and peace we so desperately seek is not found in stopping every bad thing from . All told, 2,974 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, which President George W. Bush called "evil, despicable acts of terror" and "acts of mass murder.". to learn more. To become better at your job? Challenges as something to be avoided. We can easily understand those kinds of suffering, but when we try to understand the suffering that comes from the death of a child, from affliction or disease, from evil and injustices inflicted on people, and other such circumstances of life, its all too easy to fall into a trap of Christian karma and argue that someone didnt deserve such trials or tribulations. We have all been the victims of the evil choices of others. People are going to watch us as Christians. While God grows our faith through pain, it is not His foremost reason for allowing us to hurt. Last and most importantly, in God our pains and failures aren't meant to harm us. Challenges as something to be avoided. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee;he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. But we can understand what God has spoken to us through His Word. Church Planter. As a professor, he has taught Bible and theology courses at two Christian universities. On Nov. 21, 1980, when the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas burned, survivors were brought into the Convention Center, where our Crusade meetings were being held. Please click here to learn how. It was not in His original plan that suffering would take place. If you touch a hot stove your body reacts with pain that causes you to quickly move your hand. Its pain that will grow you. Pastors know well that no two people under their care are in the same place . Nevertheless, Satan was allowed access to the earth, and he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. We think pain is the enemy, something to be avoided. He sees our life every day and knows exactly where we stand. In Genesis 1:31 God looks over His creation and declares it VERY good. It's as much a cry as a question; a wound; a shout of betrayal of all the rules of life and fairness as you knew them. 1 Peter 2:19-21. It can bring us to the end of ourselves and cause us to turn to the God of comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Satan did not call into question Jehovah's power. And then death crept in. Or, if God is all loving, then He cannot be all powerful, or He would do something about it. It can continue for weeks, months, even years. Will we turn from God because we think Hes not good, not loving, not trustworthy because of our pain? But pain isnt our enemy. Philip Yancey in The Question that Never Goes Away. The examples provided below dont constitute an exhaustive list for all possible purposes. The Fullness, Freeness, and Immutability of the Saviors Grace, by James Smith (1802-1862). Those are two very different responses. Its not by Gods design, its by our sin. Paul the sufferer turns his pain into a Christ-exalting experience by showing Christ's all-sufficiency in his weakness. Some suffering is due to our sinful and wrong choices, but some is due simply to the world being fallen. In order to address the reasons why God allows pain and suffering, we need to consider the source of evil. Writer. For now, we must hold onto the hope that our suffering is temporary. Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions.. This answers the question, 'Why didn't God create a world where people don't suffer?' "The answer is He did. When God created mankind, He intended for us to live in perfect harmony with Him, without pain, suffering or evil. By The loss of mystery Our culture lost something vital through the Enlightenment, and that is a love of mystery, or the acceptance of concepts that are difficult to understand or explain. The problem is often in our world pain can quickly move to suffering. A better spouse? It is likely that you will be confronted with suffering that cannot be adequately understood through a single approach. Second, we can offer real and practical help to those in need. The life of Christ argues against this idea because he was without sin (2 Cor. There is life and health, and there is disease and death. All of our problems and our suffering, including death itself, are a result of man's rebellion against God. Thus God had to give us the ability to chose, He had to give us free will. The problem is, you and I are stuck with an extremely limited view. So they were created with perfect bodies and godly minds capable of directing their desires and will, and reflecting Gods nature and His glory. He set out on a path to redeem humanity. It either drives us closer to God or makes us bitter at God. Theres a larger story unfolding that you and I are not privy too. One important answer to this question is to say they should imitate Christ, who suffered more than anyone. Paul writes, This light of momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look to the things that are not seen but the things that are unseen. But what we don't usually look for is God's purpose for our weaknesses in the lives of others. Yes, life was simple, but there was no suffering. Without it, we cannot truly experience love. This was a very emotional time. In the beginning, all of creation reflected Gods glory. Jesus is the prime example of this. God enters into our suffering in his pursuit of us. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; We should not waste the trials in this life, but rather use them as an opportunity to turn to the Lord and draw close to Him in trusting faith, remembering that the goodness of God endures continually (Psalm 52:1b) and His mercies are new every morning. Acts of God: Why Does God Allow So Much Pain? Man does not exist for his own sake We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the divine love may rest well pleased. First, we need to define the difference between pain and suffering. So why does God allow suffering? Philip Yancey in The Question that Never Goes Awa, What Is Sin? Thankfully, God is good and gave us the answers in His Word. This attitude leads to a lack of growth. 3 Reasons God Is Allowing You to Emotionally Suffer by Mark Ballenger 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Here are 3 possible reason God is allowing you to go through emotional suffering and pain in your life. If you have been born into the family of God, you are a child of God. And while this may not answer every question people have about the problem of evil, or why would a good God allow suffering, it does help diffuse this problem. God may use physical evil to chastise individuals or nations and lead them to repent ( Isaiah 45:7, Genesis 6:13, Acts 13:9-11 ). If you touch a hot stove your body reacts with pain that causes you to quickly move your hand. We avoid pain at all costs. So, what do we know about why does God allow suffering? I want you to go to heaven. But you must respond to Him. So even in the sorrow you feel right now, you can look forward with hope to the fulfillment of this plan. When Satan led Adam and Eve into disobeying Jehovah, an important question was raised. In Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus tells his followers to pick up their cross. God allows pain in the life of a believer, so they will know him better. This was a mission destined to have failure in it. We decide where we move too. My guess is that what caused the most growth in your life was some kind of pain. Virtually every passage on suffering in the New Testament deflects the emphasis from cause to response. Another unbiblical idea is that if a person is perfect and never (or rarely) does anything wrong, they wont suffer pain. Sin is the reason that we have afflictions, including death. And the list could go on and on and on. The pain that will not go away, that keeps us in bed, ravages our body, and takes everything of joy from our life. This pain can be intense. We are obsessed with stories of people overcoming pain. We all face suffering in some way, shape or form. Thats what faith demands, believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse. This verse doesnt mean that God wont give you more than you can handle. But this article isnt really about the benefit of pain when we step on a rusty nail. But first we need to understand what suffering is and isnt. So why is there suffering if God didnt create it? Well, not so fasttheres a problem with that question. I can build my world without You. God said, If you take that position, you will suffer and die. Man took that position, and he began to suffer, and he has been dying ever since. Maybe we are thinking about pain in the wrong light. Harm that was brought upon us by another human. We all face suffering in some way, shape or form. A small percentage of the world has a genetic disorder called congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis or CIPA, basically meaning they feel no pain. When we face pain and suffering how we respond to it is a choice. Whats been your experience wrestling through this question, why does God allow suffering? Want articles like this one delivered straight to your email? We demand answers and that God fixes our problem(s). Paul writes, We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose, (Romans 8:28). I hope that this teaching on why does God allow suffering helped you rethink parts of your life and faith. Pain is not a danger to avoid. We can only see whats right in front of us. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Please see his About page for details. So much of the world's suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. Why is He allowing these bad things to happen to me? Then Jesus dies on the cross, and in the mystery of faith, all the junk of the world, all the junk that's in our hearts, all the junk that's in our relationships, all of that junk dies with him. There is a mystery as to why He put people on this earth. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Believe that in your pain and suffering, God is ever present. Romans 3:23 says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.". He knows what you are experiencing and wants to walk with you through it. If we seek God, He is faithful and He will provide. In this article on what of focus on our response to pain and how its a good thing. , deny yourself what you are experiencing and Wants to walk with Moody! 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