Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Why does God, who is love, allow suffering?
This is a question which many over the centuries have wrestled with. And today it seems many have found the existence of suffering and injustice in this world incompatible with the existence of an all powerful and loving God.
It is understandable that many come to this conclusion. Undeserved suffering is one of the most common reasons why many reject belief in God. If God is love, that he loves his children, then why does it seem he does not answer our call for help when we need it most? Why does he allow such things to happen to those who love and serve him with all their heart?
As much as we try to avoid it, suffering is everywhere and no one escapes suffering in some form while we live on this earth. Suffering results from the actions of evil men and women while other suffering is the consequence of accidents, natural disasters and ill-health. The loss of a loved one, especially that of a young child or baby is especially hard. Suffering is deeply painful.
If God is not good, then does that suggest maybe there is no God, as some say? Are the atheists right and there is no reason or purpose in life, just blind, pitiless indifference? But if there is no loving God then suffering is meaningless, aside from the sole purpose of avoiding it so one can pass on their genes. To ask the question “Why?” is therefore pointless. A world without God cannot offer any lasting comfort.
Yet we all intuitively sense needless suffering is wrong. So is there an answer? Yes. The Bible addressed the issue of undeserved suffering a long time ago. The book of Job, believed to be one of, if not the oldest, book of the Bible tells us the story of Job who suffered greatly and how he endured through it.
The book begins with a challenge made by Satan to God regarding Job. Job was a righteous man, blameless and upright who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1). Satan claimed Job was only righteous because God blessed and protected him. God allowed Satan to test Job’s faith through a series of calamities. Job, unaware of what Satan had said to God, had no idea why he was suffering so greatly. His friends, who at first sympathised with him, then began to accuse Job that his suffering was due to sin in his life. Job denied this but wanted to know why God had inflicted him so severely. Understandably he expresses bitterness to God for his suffering. Finally God reveals himself, speaking to Job of his justice, power, knowledge and sovereignty but not why Job suffered. Job finally admits his wrong in blaming God and repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:1-6).
There is a crucial lesson here which we need to learn in responding to suffering beyond our control (which inevitably will happen at some time and in some form). Suffering comes in many forms and there isn’t always an answer why. Instead of searching for a reason, of asking “Why?” we must in the end trust God’s sovereignty, that he is ultimately in control and that he is good, just and loving. He is not indifferent to our suffering.
There is also a lesson about a wrong idea quite common in some church circles: that suffering is a consequence of sin or because we lack faith in God to save us from suffering. Such ‘counsel’ can be most unkind to someone who is suffering.
The Bible and Suffering
God reveals to us in the Bible that sin and suffering began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. As a consequence Satan became the ruler of this world who seeks to kill, rob and destroy. Since that time sin, suffering and decay have reigned and so suffering can come in many ways – from man, sickness, loss and natural disasters are ones we most experience.
The suffering caused by man is obviously unjust and we might ask why doesn’t God bring justice? Yet, like Adam and Eve, we have been made with a free will and with that we can choose to do good or evil. The suffering of innocent and of children who are abused, raped, contract HIV or murdered is especially abhorrent but is the result of the actions of fallen men. For God to prevent such evil, as much as he abhors it, he would have to physically restrain them and control their thoughts (where all crime begins). Should God intervene? Should God override their free will and where would we draw the line as to when he should intervene? This would vary according to our own standards – but to be consistent and show no partiality God would have to intervene in all wrong according to His standards, not ours.
As fathers – if we prevented our children at every waking moment from doing anything wrong – including their hurting others – they would end up hating us and want to be as far from us as they could. Is that the kind of God we want – who controls our every thought and all we do? It is not my idea of a loving God.
We have a tendency to think of others as being evil but not ourselves. People say “I’m not a murderer” – but in God’s eyes hating someone is murder; “I’m not a paedophile or an adulterer” – but even to think lustfully of a child or another man’s wife is wrong. Should God prevent a man from committing rape but not from viewing pornography on the Internet? These are both clearly wrong, but the cause of wrong and suffering, to some degree, lies in each one of us – not just the rapists, paedophiles and terrorists. It is true that many evils have been perpetrated in the name of God. Yet this does not reflect on God but rather on the hypocrisy and evil of man. Jesus certainly did not justify such, rather the opposite, as we all know.
This is not to say God has given free reign to evil. Thankfully we have government and justice systems, though imperfect, which keep evil in check. The existence of such systems is actually an example of a time when there will be ultimate justice, when all wrong will be judged. That is part of the hope to which Christians aspire to, and not only justice but a time of no sickness, suffering or death. There is coming a day when, according to the Bible, he will say “That is enough” and through Jesus Christ (who knew suffering personally) judge mankind and bring an end to all that is evil.
Then there is suffering caused by sickness, a terminal illness or a disability which many suffer their whole life as a consequence. Though God at times heals people in a miraculous way, in most cases this is not his way.
At this present time, God not only allows, but in his greater purpose for us, may bring about long periods of real trial. As a consequence unbelievers seeing Christians suffer may mock at Christianity as if God is some cruel sadist. “Look at how their so-called loving God treats his devoted followers!”
Yet contrary to expectation, such Christians, on whom God has sent trial after trial, do not complain. Instead of being angry and bitter towards God who allows their suffering, they respond with praise to him. That is the witness of a life totally dependent on God, who put their hope, not in this life but in the one to come. Our witness to the world is most powerful when we endure suffering, loss and disability with peace and joy because of our faith in God.
So while some find suffering a reason to deny God’s existence and move away from him, others have found suffering and adversity draws them closer to God. The Bible, more than any other book, addresses the subject of suffering and why it exists. The Psalms frequently express anguish for suffering and injustice in many different situations:
Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression? (Psalm 44:24)
Faith In God Enables Us to Endure Suffering
The existence of suffering does not defeat faith, but rather it is faith in God that enables us to endure suffering in this world. The early Christians (and in many parts of the world today) suffered greatly and had little comfort other than the belief that there is a far better life beyond this one. Nor should it be thought that having faith that there will be a future world in which there is no suffering or injustice mean that we should not endeavour to seek it here and now. Christians bearing the love of God have been and are instrumental in bringing relief from suffering and injustice through humanitarian aid organisations. It is largely through the influence of Christian ethics we in the western world experience fair and equitable justice.
Though suffering and premature physical death is grievous, it is not the ultimate injustice. For if this life was all there is then, yes, we could truly despair. But it is not. Does this mean then we just endure suffering without emotion? No. Sorrow and depression are all part of life in this world.
David says this in the Psalms:
Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:4-5).
But God knows intimately our suffering. When Jesus hung on the cross, naked, in agony and forsaken by the Father he knew suffering more than we ever can. Yet for the joy before him Jesus endured the cross and its suffering. The crucifixion of Jesus to the natural mind seems so wrong and so pointless. Yet we know that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that we who believe in him might have eternal life. Love and suffering can co-exist. God’s love does not spare us suffering now but his promise to comfort and bring us into his glory are certain. God sometimes permits what he hates to achieve what he loves.
Remember, suffering will only be for a time but joy and peace will be eternal.
The apostle Paul was well acquainted with personal suffering yet he knew the comfort of God. In his second letter to the church at Corinth he wrote:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
He goes on to say:
For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and will deliver us He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).
Clearly Paul experienced great suffering yet he steadfastly hoped and trusted God that there would one day be deliverance. So we too in our deepest suffering and affliction know that God is faithful, his love never fails, he is with us and his abundant comfort through Christ.
But note what Paul says here: that, in his suffering, because he has been comforted by God, he is able to comfort others. That is the other-worldly love and comfort we as Christians can show to others.
Suffering will always be a part of life in this present world and particularly for Christians who will experience in addition the hate of Satan and the world. It is a mistake to believe that life as a Christian will be easier in this world. It won’t as thousands across the globe are finding at this very time.
In times of suffering we may feel God is distant, but it is not the reality. He may not prevent our pain but He is with us through it – as He has promised – I will never leave you nor forsake you. So in times of suffering our need of Him is greater and through such times we can find ourselves closer to God than before. Yet, as in all relationships, it takes effort and time. The hardest thing I find is deciding to do things God’s way. But having made that choice God’s grace and strength were freely given. I found talking to God, in prayer, from your heart brings a greater sense of His presence and comfort than anything else, especially prayer that begins with praise for what He has done before we express our own needs.
Jesus said:
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great (Matthew 5:10-12).
And as Paul said to the church at Philippi:
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29).
Yet as Paul also said:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).
This is why it is essential in times of great trial that we keep our hope in Christ before our mind. This is where Scripture and spiritual songs can play a crucial role in keeping our spiritual health. Take for instance Jeremiah:
He (God) has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; He turns his hand again and again the whole day long. He has besieged me with bitterness and tribulation; He has walled me about so I cannot escape; He has put heavy chains upon me; though I call and cry for help, He shuts out my prayer; He has blocked my ways with hewn stones, my soul is bereft of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “Gone is my glory, and my expectation from the Lord.” (Lamentations 3.2-18, excerpts).
Jeremiah sounded very depressed and in total despair. Yet this is what he goes on to say:
My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I will call to mind, and therefore have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. (3.20-24).
Notice Jeremiah does not deny the reality of his circumstances, but calls to his mind the hope he has in God – His steadfast love never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is His faithfulness. He meets my deepest needs. My hope is in Him.
Therefore if we remind ourselves, daily, of these things, even speaking aloud to ourselves the great hope we have, suffering, grief and depression will not overwhelm us.