He is the God of the miraculous. Nothing that we suffer in this life can prevent this process from reaching its divinely purposed outcome. If he is all-good and all-powerful couldn’t he stop injustice? Third, we come to the reality that we often find the most troubling. When this biblical understanding of suffering grips us, it will bring trusting obedience and confident hope in the faithfulness of God. God created with a purpose, he desired to see his character reflected upon the Earth so man was given free-will to obey or disobey. Throughout the Bible people in suffering like Job, the Psalmist, and Jeremiah ask the Lord why. However, about three years ago, Dorothy died, after suffering intensely from multiple myeloma cancer of the bone marrow, for five and one-half years. Others might suggest that He is indeed omnipotent but not good. When you read the Bible, you realize God created the world perfect in every way — no evil or suffering. I have compiled a list of bible verses about pain that will strengthen your soul. Why does God allow suffering? 6:4; Isa. 1:11). 8:18-23). In the midst of intense emotion and extreme stress it’s hard to learn a new worldview or develop a more mature faith that will help us at that time. God created angels and humans with the freedom to choose good or evil (Deuteronomy 30:19). It was the mentality of Job's friends who did their best to convince Job that his suffering was a result of some unadmitted wickedness. The suffering we endure now will be more than compensated by the glory of eternal life ( 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Philippians 1:21-23 ). God allowed me to get hurt or allowed me to get a sickness or disease for a reason. Realize that in a fallen world suffering is the abnormal normality (see 1 Pet. God intentionally "let the gate open" for him to enter into the garden and entire the first couple to sin. Therefore, the world we live in now isn’t the same world God created. No. God allowed evil and suffering in the world to bring His Son to the cross so that we might have the opportunity to obtain eternal life. God knew that sin would lead to suffering. Will you forget me forever? Why did such a godly, gifted woman have to suffer so much? But with time — and it may take us a long time — we need to get to the place where we stop asking why and ask what. God had gifted her with a marvelous ability to communicate His Word. But when suffering becomes personal, we wonder why God would allow us to suffer in this manner, and why He wouldn’t stop it. What does the Bible teach on pain and suffering? After delivering his terrifying message from God to King Ahab, Elijah fled into the wilderness. 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. We have a God "who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think " (, The fourth biblical affirmation laid out for us in the Bible is this: whatever calamity befalls us, God has our eternal good in view. 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. Not even when Jesus Christ asks the question on the cross. Moral evil is the immorality and pain and suffering and tragedy that come because we choose to be selfish, arrogant, uncaring, hateful and abusive. In addition to the natural calamities of life, believers suffer persecution because of Jesus Christ. Remember that God has entered into our suffering to redeem us from it. We are to "visit orphans and widows" (, We are also urged to cry out to God, to petition Him who loves us. 32:17). What do many religious teachers say about suffering? We must trust God until answers to suffering are made clear (see Job 13:15; I Cor. We've added you to our email list! We know death and suffering aren’t God ’s fault—they are the result of living in a sin-cursed world. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:4-5), “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. He did this through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom. But the Bible tells us the brook eventually dried up (1 Kings 17:7). . Living godly lives does enable the believer to avoid some of the unnecessary suffering that others bring upon themselves by ignoring God's moral and spiritual laws. Bible / BibleStudyTools Video; Share Tweet. ), “No one has ever seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:12), “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18), “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Until then, ask Him to show you how He may be using suffering for your good. Why does God allow suffering? However, we must be careful not to remove the good spoken of from the purpose spelled out in verses 29-39. For all of human history people have wrestled with question of why does God allow suffering. Current Issue January-February 2021 Subscribe. God will end all human suffering. Bible in One Year: Isaiah 4-7 Sometimes God Allows Suffering To Let Us Know It’s Time To Move On. 12:11; 16:21,22; Acts 4:27,28; Rev. What is a lifetime of suffering in comparison with an eternity of heaven? She also spoke to many groups in the Chicago area. We quote this verse in times of suffering and rightly so. He doesn’t condemn them or us for asking why he lets us suffer. Once you find yourself in a crisis whatever is inside of you will come out. He is good, but He is not omnipotent. God has designed all of life (including suffering) to conform us to the image of His Son. We are to "visit orphans and widows" (James 1:27), "use a little wine for the sake of your stomach" (1 Tim. In, When this biblical understanding of suffering grips us, it will bring trusting obedience and confident hope in the faithfulness of God. That includes the curses of pain, disease, sorrow, and death that attend the consequences of wickedness. God lowered the perfection of creation (from the perfect garden of Eden) to match the spiritual state of those who live here (Romans 8:20-22). If you share your suffering with someone it hurts to be told things like, “God works all things together for good” (Romans 8:28). Perhaps at this point you are asking, Well, it sounds like the Bible teaches fatalism--whatever will be will be. The Bible says that the story of this world isn't over yet. Some of our problems could be avoided if we would live consistently by the principles of wisdom in the Word of God. 37:12,13). 8:29). But there are still lessons for us to uncover how we can approach suffering. Let us rest confident that we’ll “know more about it [and] understand why . Humans, though, rejected God, and as a result, brought sin and evil into the world. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1-2), “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. God has not chosen to spare even His children from the consequences of living in a fallen world. He is also all-powerful: "Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and out-stretched arm! The New Testament does not proclaim the health and wealth "gospel" that is so popular in 20th-century evangelicalism. He could stop suffering, but He doesn't want to. I tell you, no! 5:12; 8:20-22). He is able either to prevent or remove the cause of our suffering if it is His will to do so. Firstly, you must understand that the Word of God shares with us … They may have caused us to wonder why God allows suffering in the lives of believers. In this world you will have trouble. 1) Natural result of free-will God given free will – suffering natural result man going own way. God works within the fallen world to effect change, and He uses fallen people to accomplish His will. Why Does God Allow Suffering Bible Verses. Suffering caused by sin. We have a social responsibility when it comes to suffering. As for Christians, torment and refinement are the greatest blessings from God, because Christians need to endure being tempered by all kinds of sufferings if … It was also the popular conclusion among the Jews at the time of Christ--a view He clearly refuted (see Luke 13:1-5; John 9:1-3). They have accidents. He is good, but He is not omnipotent. Why does God allow suffering? The Bible says that Satan was one of the most intelligent and craftiest created beings. Over the next two days, we’ll look at other reasons God may allow painful seasons in our life. 1:4-6); to teach us to trust in Him and not in ourselves (see 1:9; 4:7,16, 18; 12:1-10); to turn our hearts toward heaven (see 5:1-4); to develop maturity (see James 1:1-12); to discipline us for sinful behavior (see I Cor. Dorothy Love was a godly woman, utterly sold-out to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His disciples asked him, `Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ `Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, `but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” (John 9:1-3), “There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Some have suggested that God is indeed good; He has good intentions. Theologians and philosophers have written complex and learned volumes wrestling with it. 9:20-23). God took care of him and we are told he was fed by birds and had a brook nearby to drink water from. (All Bible verses are from the NIV84 unless indicated otherwise. He is fiendish and capricious. Then, when health reasons demanded staying in the States, she dedicated herself to a busy schedule of teaching ladies' Bible studies and being involved in children's work. Physical evil is one means God uses to accomplish His work on earth ( John 9:1-3 ). Understand that though God is sovereign and man is responsible for his actions, suffering is a product of the Fall (see II Sam. Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering? God is the designer of a plan that allowed for sin and suffering. But he doesn’t directly answer this question. What does the Bible say about suffering? This is not to say that every occurrence of suffering in our lives is direct punishment for our personal sins. Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. We’ve all asked this question. But first we need to consider the appropriate context to study this issue. So why fight it? The biblical self-revelation of God is that He is both omnipotent and infinitely good. 5:23), " to be generous and ready to share" (6:18). Others might suggest that He is indeed omnipotent but not good. Read and be blessed. During a time of desolation we’ll get through it with whatever faith and character we had at the start. God may not have a specific lesson to teach us every time we suffer, but He does have a good purpose in view. As Dorothy Love once put it, "Our trust is completely in our blessed Lord." Nowhere does the Bible suggest that God was overcome by the power of sin; that suffering was forced into His universe against His will. Yes Christians do get sick and die. These Bible narratives and verses provide a multi-pronged answer to the question, and there is still more to learn on this topic. This Was Not His Original Intention The Bible teaches that suffering is an intrusion into the universe that God has made. ), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. God is the designer of a plan that allowed for sin and suffering. Here are five biblical reasons why God allows suffering. (See the testimony of Asaph in Psalm 73.). Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4; See also Romans 5:3-5), “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. How can we endure it? The problem of human suffering has vexed many children of God. But with time — and it may take us a long time — we need to get to … For the Christian, then, there is one final reason why God allows our suffering: to point us back to the sufferings of Christ. An Example of Suffering that God Allows At the root of all suffering as we established is sin and evil. When it touches us or those we love, it is no longer an abstract idea to leave to the theologians but a grim and perplexing reality: How can we explain human suffering in a universe created by a good and omnipotent God? Thanks for subscribing! With sin came corruption, suffering and death (see, This is not a proper biblical perspective either. In life, when facing painful things or adversity, how should you seek God’s will? Then in pain and suffering we have a deep foundation of mature faith and an inner strength of character to help us deal with things. 5 Pastors, priests, and religious teachers often say that it is God’s will that people suffer. 1:4-6); to teach us to trust in Him and not in ourselves (see 1:9; 4:7,16, 18; 12:1-10); to turn our hearts toward heaven (see 5:1-4); to develop maturity (see James 1:1-12); to discipline us for sinful behavior (see I Cor. We would be vain and naïve to think that we could understand and explain what the most knowledgeable and godly have found perplexing. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. In His omniscience (His full knowledge of everything), He knew that the plan He chose, even though it allowed for sin and suffering, ultimately would bring about the greatest good and glory. If God is Good, Why Does He Allow Suffering? 8:18). 13:12). The Bible equips us to deal with any suffering we face and bring us closer to Him. 1. 49:19; Amos 3:6; Rom. The hope is that prior to a crisis we grow in our understanding of God and his ways, our trust in his constant goodness, our submission to his Lordship in good and bad situations, and our readiness to delight in his heavenly kingdom which is always in our midst. 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. 5. Our suffering is directly related to the curse that came upon the earth as the result of sin. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13), “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 22:3), “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. They are best used for study and meditation prior to going through suffering. In His omniscience (His full knowledge of everything), He knew that the plan He chose, even though it allowed for sin and suffering, ultimately would bring about the greatest good and glory. God understands this. We ask why does God allow suffering because we need to express our emotions. Yet the Scriptures do make several helpful affirmations, which must be accepted even if not totally understood. It is a part of a sinful world. God graciously has sustained people on this earth (allowing them to reproduce, to develop governments and … 8:38,39). He is fiendish and capricious. Question: "Why does God allow the innocent to suffer?" When God created the universe everything was good. It was not His original intention that people suffer. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-15), “In your struggle against sin… you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: `My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.’” (Hebrews 12:4-6), “Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2), “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? It is very difficult to see any value in pain, suffering, loss of a loved one, disability, etc. What does the Bible teach? Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13), “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit… It is finished!” (Luke 23:46, John 19:30). 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