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wee word - Why does God allow suffering?

It is sometimes really hard for us to understand why our loving God would allow us to suffer. One of the most important things to remember is that we do not know better than God. He is so much greater than us:

“My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55 verses 8-9)

We can never claim to understand God completely, and fathom his ways. What we do know, however, is that when God created the world everything was good. It was when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, that trouble came into the world (Genesis 3) - so it was human's rebellion against God which caused the suffering. The bible often relates suffering to sin, for example:

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7 verse 14)

You can read about God disciplining those he loves in Hebrews 12 verses 5-11. However, we must remember that just because it was the result of sin that suffering came into the world, it does not mean that every time someone is suffering it is because they have sinned (see John 9 verse 3).

We also know that God cares deeply about his world:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3 verse 16)

God cared enough to send Jesus - who suffered more than anyone! Jesus had to take on the sins of the world (1 Peter 2 verse 24), be rejected by people, and go through a very torturous death:

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised” (Isaiah 53 verse 3)

Not only that, but if we are Christians, God uses every bit of suffering we go through for our good:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8 verse 28)

“Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (James 1 verses 2-4)

That does not mean that we cannot ask God to help us in our suffering, we can!

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.” (Psalms 46 verses 1-3)

God has also given us each other, so we should always try and help people who are struggling:

“Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ” (Galations 6 verse 2)

God cares about the suffering people in this world a lot more than we do, and we do not know what bad things God is protecting us from. Someone once said that we must stop seeing God as the problem, before we can start seeing him as the solution.

God will not let the world go on in this state forever! One day, those who have followed him through their suffering will experience the new heaven and new earth described at the end of the Bible…

“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21 verses 3-5)