This is a question I think everyone has asked at one point or another. (If you haven't, I'm sure you will.) Some ask with personal experience to suffering in mind. Others ask in response to the news they hear in the world. Still others ask, because they have been asked and don't know the answer. So however you may be approaching this question, I pray that you might see the truth, as I try to tactfully share what God has revealed in His word - the Holy Bible.
Firstly, we cannot deny that there is great suffering in this world. Death, sickness, war, crimes, relationship breakdowns, poverty, etc. The list could go on! We don't have to look very far to see that we do not live in a perfect world, in fact, we don't have to even look past ourselves.
So where does this suffering come from? Ultimately, it is the consequence for sin. Suffering has existed since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). The first two people God created, Adam and Eve, broke God's one command. As a punishment, God brought pain, hardships, and toil. In a sense, God gave them exactly what they wanted - a world without Him. And since all good things come from God, they got a world without good.
"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
However, though we have brought our own ruin upon ourselves, it is right to assume that we receive evil, pain, and tribulation from the hand of God (Job2:10). Which is what the question addresses. We know that God is in control of the evil and pain in the world (Isaiah 45:7). God has the power to restrain it (Gen 20:6) and permit it (Ex 7:3).
We see this most evidently displayed in the book of Job. This book is a story about a man who faced huge disasters all within a day. It raises some serious questions. Why would God provoke Satan and let him kill all of Job's children, destroy his livelihood, and bring physical pain to Job's body? Why would God remove the hedge of protection even from those who trust in Him?
The short answer to all of these questions and the question we are asking in this post, is that we don't know. Yes, truly. We don't and may never know completely. When God came in a whirlwind to answer Job's questions, He didn't explain what went on in heaven between Him and Satan. He didn't explain how this was a test to see if Job loved Him above all. God's answer was, ' Who are you to question me? Do you know everything? How is it that you want to instruct the one who does?' (Paraphrased from Job 40:2)
"By no means can our finite minds grasp an infinite God." - Ryan Kurvits
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Isaiah 55:8
We don't know why God does and works the way He does. Even if He did come and explain everything to us, we wouldn't be able to understand it.
But as I was reading through different passages in the Bible, I realized that's not the point. The point of suffering isn't to understand why, but to force us to respond.
There are two ways people respond to divinely appointed suffering:
Response #1.
We see God for who He is. We trust in His character that He is not evil, and no sin dwells with Him (Deut 32:4). We trust that God promises to work all things together for the good of those who love Him, and that He never breaks His promises (Rom 8:28). We trust that God is a comforter, full of pity and tender mercy (James 5:11, 2Cor 1:3). We trust that He has suffered with us and for us when He sent Jesus to die in our place and bear the wrath of God for our rebellion against Him (Heb 2:10). We Trust that He is intimately acquainted with our sorrow, that Jesus condescended to our state (Heb 4:15-16). And we trust that Christ will one day return, and end all this sorrow.
Christ is the victor over death (1Cor 15:54). He has overcome the tribulations in this world (John 16:33). As we, Christians, share in Christ's suffering, we will also share in His glory (Rom 8:17-18). It will all be worth it in the end!
Response #2.
Or, we put ourselves in God's seat. We make the judgment calls in what should or shouldn't happen. We say God is a liar, bigoted, and cruel. And we live our own sinful lives the way we want and not be bothered by the will of God.
We want to be righteous, so we condemn God, and say He is unrighteous to judge us for our sin (Job 40:8, Rom 3: 3-6).
Friends, the fact that there is wickedness and suffering still in the world is because God is showing us mercy. If He were to get rid of all the evil today, He would have to get rid of us with it. He is patient, and is giving us time to repent and turn to Him.
We have sinned and brought death into the world, but God has allowed it and has worked through it to reveal the greatest mysteries of His nature through the gospel.
We have hope in our present suffering, that our sins are forgiven in Christ. God has made a way to draw near to us and has loved us while we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8).
"...We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:3-5
Sincerely,
Brooke
*Please note in our "What's Going On" page that we are posting every other week as appose to every week.
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