WHY IS THERE SUFFERING?

 

Why is there suffering? is one of the questions that people ask. How could a good God allow suffering? Many people are victims of natural calamities (earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, droughts, famines), victims of wars, injustice, persecution, neglect, loss of loved ones, accidents, and debilitating illnesses, etc. Consider all those with cancer or people born with crippling diseases, mental and physical, incapable of feeding themselves. Our hearts and prayers have and will go out to them.

Sadly, many use the issue of suffering as an excuse to reject any thought of God, when its existence is the very reason, we should believe in Him. Suffering stands as terrible testimony to the truth of the explanation given by the Word of God.

But how can we know that the Bible is true? Simply by studying the prophecies of Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3, and Luke 21, please take the time with an open heart to read as the Holy Bible is no ordinary book. It is the supernatural testament of our Creator about why there is suffering.

God created heaven and earth, saying over and over, "It was good" (Genesis 1). He made mankind (Adam and Eve) according to His image and likeness and placed them to dwell in His creation. God declared everything "very good."

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27 KJV

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 KJV

God created humans perfectly and they lived in a perfect world without suffering. When Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they rebelled against God. Sin entered into the world and death by sin. God cursed the earth because they sinned and drove them out of the garden of Eden. When sin entered the world, death and misery came with it (Genesis 3).

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12 KJV

Some people suffer as a result of their sin, such as the man Jesus healed at the Bethesda pool (John 5:1–15). This man had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. The man who was physically healed, Jesus later found him in the temple and warned him to sin no more or else a worse thing could happen to him.

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 

John 5:14 KJV

Some people suffer for God’s glory, such as the man in the Bible who was born blind. This man’s blindness was not the result of his sins or his parents sins; rather that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 
John 9:1-3 KJV

The greatest suffering of all happened when God gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin for us who knew no sin. Jesus laid down His life willingly, betrayed, falsely accused, mocked, scourged, gambled over. He suffered tremendous beatings by Roman soldiers, humiliation, and the agony of crucifixion. He took the punishment we deserved by bearing our sins and the sins of the entire world, dying in our place, buried, resurrected after three days, many appearances, was seen by over 500 people at one time, conquered sin and death in order to provide the free gift of salvation. (Isaiah 53 and the four Gospels and 1 Corinthians 15).

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him Romans 5:8-9 KJV

We believe that God is sovereign! Omnipotent (all-powerful), Omniscient (all-knowing), Omnipresent (to be everywhere at once). We cannot know the mind of God, and He can use suffering to draw us closer to Him. In this world we suffer as Bible-believing, born-again Christians, but through God’s grace we have inner peace knowing He has overcome the world.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world John 16:33 KJV

Trials and tribulations help us grow and are part of what it means to be human in a fallen world. We experienced God’s comfort through trials and tribulations. We are then able to comfort others.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 KJV

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. 2 Corinthians 1:4 KJV

The Bible encourages us to look forward to the things to come. Present suffering is nothing compared to future glory.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18 KJV

Some people will think and ask, "When will the suffering of this world end?" God is powerful enough to remove all the suffering in the world, but He would need to wipe out all of humanity. If God were to show up at 12:00 noon to get rid of all the suffering in the world, where would you be at 12:01? Heaven or Hell? It is only by God’s mercy that He delays His judgement. He is waiting to give people the opportunity to repent.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 KJV

To repent is to ask forgiveness from sin, to be sorry for who you are and what you are. To change your mind from the rejection of Jesus Christ to the faith of Jesus Christ. To believe and trust in Jesus Christ alone and the sacrifice made through His precious blood shed on the cross through His death, burial, and resurrection. God will forgive your sins and grant you everlasting life. God will give you a new nature (born-again) and He will walk with you through the Holy Spirit. Eternal life is a free gift. You can’t earn it by doing good works (Ephesians 2:8,9).

In heaven there will be no more suffering, no tears, no death, nor sorrow for the former things are passed away.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 KJV

With Blessings in Christ,

David & Gay

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