Why Does God Allow Suffering? Why is there suffering in the world?
Answering Tough Questions Sermon Series
Part 1 (on this topic or question)
Donnie Berry
9/27/09
The problem of suffering is one that will touch all of us at some point in our life either directly or through our relationships with others.
Q. How are we to explain the fact that there is suffering in the world?
If we look at this topic Biblically, the first observation we must make is that evil and suffering were not always present in the world. In Genesis 1 and 2 we see that God created the world and man and declared that all He had made was very good. Suffering did not exist in the world until man rebelled against God and sinned (Genesis 3).
Suffering exists in the world not because God created it that way, but:
- Because of human sin and rebellion against God. Mark 7:21-23 says that it is out of the heart of man that evil comes. The rebellion and sin of man also affected the rest of creation, and creation was subjected to futility (Romans 8:20 – 21).
- Because Satan is real. Satan shows up throughout scripture as a cause of evil and calamity. Jesus said that Satan came to “steal, kill and destroy”. We see from the account of Job that Satan is responsible for calamities, including sickness, storms and “natural” disasters. However, the Bible also teaches that Satan’s power is limited, and he can do nothing unless God grants him permission. This is evident both from the account of Job and the sifting of Peter in Luke 22.
- Because God has ordained it. Although the Bible clearly teaches that God is not the author of evil, God uses suffering to accomplish His purposes. God is both absolutely sovereign and absolutely good. The Bible says that not one sparrow falls to the ground without God’s consent (Matthew 10:29) and that God causes all things to work together for our good (Ephesians 1:11).
Things that are under God’s control according to scripture:
- The life and death of even insignificant creatures like sparrows (Matthew 10:29). The knowledge that God is in control of even the painful things in our lives should bring us much comfort. If we believe that God loves us and all His ways are good, then even though we may not understand the specific circumstances we are in, we can put our trust in God, knowing that if He allowed the current circumstances, He must have a good purpose for it.
- The decisions of kings and rulers (Proverbs 21:21 “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will”).
- The ability to see or not see, to hear or not hear (Exodus 4:11 “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”)
- The giving and taking of life (I Samuel 2:6 “The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up”)
- The loss or gain of money or wealth (I Samuel 2:7 “The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts”)
- The killing of His own Son, Jesus (Acts 4:27 “Truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” And Isaiah 53:10, prophesying of Jesus, says, “It was the will of the Lord to crush him. He has put him to grief.” See also Amos 3:6; Lamentations 3:37-38; Isaiah 45:7.
God is absolutely in control of everything that takes place. This is what the Bible says. This is what God tells us through His word.
The Bible also tells us that God is good and loving. We have to get this to have a balanced view of God. If we just believe that He is in control (sovereign) we can develop a wrong understanding of God. We will see Him as cruel and unjust and we will allow fear and distrust (unbelief) to take root in our hearts.
God is good and loving, He is not evil. He hates evil, though He controls evil for His good purposes.
- “God is light and in him is no darkness at all” - I John 1:5
- “Good and upright is the Lord” – Psalm 25:8
- “The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works” – Psalm 145:17
- “God is love” – I John 1:8 God doesn’t just sometimes love, He is love. He is the very definition of love and goodness. He is good, only good, always good and He loves you.
This is a great source of comfort for us as believers. If we know that nothing comes into our lives except by the loving hand of our Father, and that anything that happens to us is for our ultimate eternal good and for His ultimate glory we can endure and persevere. To know that we can trust God, whatever we are facing, that is for our ultimate good. I have personally experienced this comfort when I have faced difficult times, especially during the process of adopting my son Elisha. At times when I felt like life was crashing in on me and my heart was breaking these truths sustained me and gave me comfort.
We must also see that good can come from pain. We endure the pain of a flu shot knowing that the benefit of protection from sickness outweighs the momentary pain of the shot. When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, he was not aware at the time that God would use this act to preserve a nation from starvation (Genesis 50: 20 “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about the saving of many lives”). There are very likely a thousand things going on in our suffering that we may not be aware of, and we may never understand this side of eternity. But we can trust God that He is with us, and that He is at work in our suffering to bring good from it.
Q. So what are God’s good purposes in our suffering?
- To make us aware of our need of Him – we pray the most when we are going through difficulty. C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, …but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”
- To transform our hearts and develop character in us (James 1:2-3 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Trials and afflictions are one of the most effective ways that our character is developed and we are molded into the image of Jesus.
- To work in believers an eternal reward. Paul, very familiar with suffering, called his afflictions “light momentary afflictions that prepare us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”
- To help us see and know Him more. The most loving thing God can do is reveal more of Himself to us. Job said, “I have heard of you, but now my eyes see you”. In John 11:5 Jesus, who loved Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus, tarried for two days when he heard that Lazarus was sick, in fact he waited until Lazarus had died so He could reveal things about himself to them.
The example of Job allows us to see that suffering can bring a greater revelation of God to us as believers.
Martha Snell Nicholson endured almost constant pain for over 35 years, becoming increasingly weaker and helpless from four incurable diseases that held her confined to her bed. Through her suffering she focused on her Savior and she grew strong in her faith and radiated beauty and cheerfulness to all who came near to her. She wrote several poems, including the following:
The Thorn
I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, "But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me."
He said, "My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee."
I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.
(Note: a "mendicant" is a beggar)
The Bible is clear that God ordains suffering and evil for good purposes. Even when we can’t understand – we can trust in the loving, kind, wise purposes of God in all that he allows - for our good, and for his glory. This is what Romans 8:28 teaches: “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Q. Does God know how much it hurts? Does He care about my suffering?
When we are in the midst of suffering, this is the question that we ask. Is God aware of my suffering, does He care that I am in pain. Does He know how much it hurts? Does He care?
Jesus life and his death for our sins tell us that God cares passionately about our suffering. And He has done something about it. Jesus came into our world to bear our sin and our suffering and to undo the effects of sin and our rebellion against God (See Isaiah 53:6 for a vivid description of why Jesus came). Jesus experience first hand what human suffering entails and He knows very intimately what the pain and suffering we endure feels like.
The following poem entitled Jesus of the Scars speaks to this point eloquently:
Jesus of the Scars
Edward Shillito (1872-1948) (out of WWI)
If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow,
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.
The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars we claim Thy grace.
If, when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know today what wounds are, have no fear;
Show us Thy Scars, we know the countersign.
The other gods were strong, but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.
No More Suffering – Our Hope for the Future
Jesus understands our suffering. He left his throne in heaven to come and bear our sins and to bear our pain. He was tortured and executed – for us. (God ordained his suffering – to bring salvation to us – the ultimate example of the good purposes of God in evil and suffering) And he rose again – he triumphed over suffering and death. He loves us. He has our eternal good at heart. If you ever question that, look at the cross. The extremes he went to save us – to reconcile us to God.
And through his death and resurrection he has set in motion the undoing of all that was set in motion when Adam and Even sinned in the garden. So here’s how the story ends.
New Heavens and New Earth
Revelation 21:4-5 4 [God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."
A new Day is coming when all wrongs will be righted. When the creation will be set free from the futility to which it was subjected because of sin. A Day is coming when we will be set free from sin and suffering forever. A Day is coming when all suffering and pain will be wiped away by the scarred hands of Jesus and in that day we will know our God fully, and understand more fully His wise and loving and sovereign purposes – even in our suffering. And it will all have been worth it.
He can be trusted!
Further Resources:
For those who would like to read further on this topic, Donnie recommended the book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper – it is available free online at www.desiringgod.org look in the Resource Library under the books category.
Discussion Questions
Q. Do you know people who have waivered in their faith or abandoned their faith because of suffering, either in their own life or the lives of those they loved?
Q. What is the most difficult life situation that you have had to face in life thus far? How has it affected your faith and your relationship with God?
Q. Have you ever known anyone like Martha Snell Nicholson who maintained a radiant faith in God in spite of incredible pain and suffering? What affect does such a person’s faith have on you?
Q. What is your response to the knowledge that God is sovereign and in control of all things that we encounter in life?
Q. What does your response to this knowledge of God’s sovereignty tell you about your belief in God’s goodness and love?
