Before we go any further we need to define the difference between pain and suffering. Although we cannot grasp the master plan of the universe, which allows for so much evil and pain (the Why? God sometimes allows pain in the lives of believers, including as a consequence of their own choices, in order to discipline them. There is pleasure and there is pain. If you touch a hot stove your body reacts with pain that causes you to quickly move your hand. God allows evil that leads to pain and suffering, but he is not the source of evil. We rebelled against God, and still do. Dont forget to share your thoughts! When someone in our church is hurting, the church tends to that members wounds. 10 To find out why God allows suffering, we need to think back to the time when suffering began. Those are two very different responses. A headache might tell you that you are dehydrated. Leave a comment! But until then, we are told to trust in His plan. Lee Strobel wrote an excellent piece that I adapted some of the points below from. So they were created with perfect bodies and godly minds capable of directing their desires and will, and reflecting Gods nature and His glory. Drop a comment down below! To be honest about it, I've asked that question myself. But pain isnt our enemy. Unbelievers sometimes experience pain because of sin in their life. Jesus told his followers, "Go and make disciples of all nations.". (why its more than missing the mark), The POWERFUL Truth From The 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Meaning (pray without ceasing), What Train Up A Child In The Way He Should Go REALLY Means (Proverbs 22:6 Meaning), 4 Life Giving Ways To Not Grow Weary In Doing Good (Galatians 6:9 Meaning). The suffering we experience we see as too harmful, the damage too extreme, to be repaired much less be used for something good. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Nevertheless, Satan was allowed access to the earth, and he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. We know that pain and suffering was not part of Gods plan. The hope and peace we so desperately seek is not found in stopping every bad thing from . God allows pain in the life of an unbeliever so that they will become a believer. And thats the Gospel, right? If we run from our pain we are missing out on growth opportunities. That means we can choose to sin, and the natural consequence of disobedience to God's beneficial laws is suffering. Pain is a form of physical suffering that may be the result of injury, illness, genetics, or something else. But love requires a choice. After recent shootings in Indianapolis, Chicago and Minneapolis, its natural to wonder why a sovereign God allows suffering. It's important to make this distinction. Not by trying to produce heaven on earth but by recognizing that for the Christian the best is yet to be.. link to Is There Anything Too Hard for God. All of our problems and our suffering, including death itself, are a result of man's rebellion against God. It will shed some light on the question we are asking. While the Bible has valuable things to say on the topic of suffering, it doesnt directly answer our question. When we grow wise through experience, we can become a people able and willing to choose what pleases the Lord. Philip Yancey in The Question that Never Goes Awa, What Is Sin? 3 Reasons Why God Allows Pain And Failure In Our Lives, Virginia Gov. Pauls idea is not that we must suffer the same thing as another person in order to minister the hope and comfort of God. Reason no. Reconciling how a good and loving God could allow such pain in their lives (or someone close) is difficult. Return to homepage. Those who have been abused wear scars that seemingly never heal. So why is there suffering if God didnt create it? Is Leonard Cohens Hallelujah a Christian Song? We need your help to keep our site ad-free. Are you prepared to meet God? Failure doesnt mean the end, the pain that comes from failing creates growth. Not even someone as important to Gods work as the Apostle Paul escaped pain and suffering. Second, we should ask God to teach us all He would have us learn about Him, about ourselves, about others and how we can minister to those who are suffering. For example, you might be passed over for a seemingly great job opportunity, only to get a better one later. We get to choose. Suffering holds a message of comfort. Romans 8:28 echos this promise. Let me offer three answers: 1) To let us see the gravity of our choices God didn't stop Adam from sinning (see Genesis 3:1-9 in context). Why Does God Allow Suffering in the First Place? Of course, we knew the consequences of free will. Well we cant fully answer that question on this side of heaven. This is how we come to understand our experience and to receive comfort and strength from those who listen and care for us. Yes, God the Father remained good through it all. An accident that leads to lifelong pain. Jesus requires the pain of dying to our self-interests to follow up. Can Gods children avoid pain? Without it, we cannot truly experience love. It's a book for everyone, and it releases tomorrow from Dutton. Romans 3:23 says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.". Fallen is a theological term that refers to the worlds nature being contrary to what God intended because people, starting with Adam and Eve, chose sin rather than obedience. I mean seriously, whats the point of pain? There has to be something more than just something we have to bear. It can continue for weeks, months, even years. This was a very emotional time. Sometimes it's simply for his glory and our good. Challenges as something to be avoided. Of course, its not just physical pain that brings about suffering, nonphysical suffering is often silent, but just as painful. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. Indeed, our beliefs about God and suffering expose the fault lines between our natural assumptions and the biblical narrative. Love cannot exist without freedom and freedom carries the risk of pain and suffering. Praise the Lord that He provided forgiveness of sin to all who repent and trust in Christ. Daniel's seminary degree is in Exegetical Theology. Because of love. Home In our pain, we long to know why God allows grief and hardship into our lives. Jesus is the prime example of this. Let me offer three answers: 1) To let us see the gravity of our choices. He will give us the comfort, peace, patience and strength we need. The Enigma of Suicide: Answers From Billy Graham. Suffering can show up in many ways. We are missing out on something that God wants to teach us, grow in us, or mature us in. In the decades since, nearly 4,000 firemen and first responders have died from cancers and other 9/11-related medical conditions. Thats why He rose from the dead. Pain is, in most cases, a good thing. He will set all things right in the end. This verse doesnt mean that God wont give you more than you can handle. There is no indication in Pauls description that God was chastising him for sin. If you let it. Church Planter. Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions.. Why does God allow suffering? Also, God may use chronic pain to help us learn endurance and patience. Our unwillingness to face our pain is a far greater danger than the pain itself. For now, we must hold onto the hope that our suffering is temporary. God gave us free will and wants us to exercise it. Sin is the reason that we have afflictions, including death. The good news is that even though we royally screwed up. Our loving and merciful God has a perfect plan to use that suffering to accomplish His threefold purpose. God uses pain to conform us more into the image of his Son. In the beginning, God created a world absent of suffering. In these verses, Paul is referring to multiple types of suffering mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Job 1:11-12). We are finite beings trying to grasp at an infinite God. What Im about to say will be of little, or maybe no, help/comfort to those currently suffering. question), we can nevertheless respond in two important ways. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? We know that pain and suffering was not part of Gods plan. God came to earth and suffered with us in His pursuit of us. If we seek God, He is faithful and He will provide. Taking the bad of this world and redeeming for something good. In a polytheistic worldview, as noted above, pain and suffering are simply factors caused by malevolent gods. While our natural reaction to pain is to avoid it, get rid of it, or numb it; we need to realize that God allows pain. This idea is false. Thats a different topic that you can read here: Why Does God Allow Suffering? But we shouldnt run from pain. Reasons God allows pain in the life of unbelievers include showing them their need for God and as judgment for sin. 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. If you have been born into the family of God, you are a child of God. It can bring us to the end of ourselves and cause us to turn to the God of comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Its pain that will grow you. We might not like the pain, but it does serve a purpose. Its a common question that is used to argue that either God is not all-good or He is not all-powerful. Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.". Jesus said, for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me (Matthew 25:35-36). 1 Corinthians 10:13 Godisfaithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bearit. The point Im trying to make is that until we put God at the center, we will struggle with this question of why suffering exists. But man rebelled against God. Pain and a loving God can co-exist. Let me explain. All told, 2,974 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, which President George W. Bush called "evil, despicable acts of terror" and "acts of mass murder.". Isa. God enters into our suffering in his pursuit of us. Then we will be able to see the whole story and how masterfully it was written and how much love God has for us. We avoid pain at all costs. All content on this site is copyrighted. What it does mean is that in his providential will (when He causes something to happen) or in His permissive will (when He allows something to happen),andwhen we areunable to handle, ifwe turn to God He will provide us what we need to go through it. Want articles like this one delivered straight to your email? My guess is that what caused the most growth in your life was some kind of pain. But God has revealed answers through the Bible and through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Some of the most faithful believers in the Bible experienced pain. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble" ( John 16:33 ). Remember that in Genesis 1:31, God looked over His creation and called it "good.". He will always do what will be good for us (see Romans 8:28-30). Want to learn more about why does God allow suffering? Pain is meant to be a blessing. This aspect of suffering should drive us to long for a better world, a world redeemed and freed from sin, a world that God will one day come again to establish (Romans 8:19-23). You see, God is working miracles through them to reach others who need to see and hear God's power working in the lives of others. In other words, deny yourself what you want, and then follow me. Is it possible that He using pain for our good? Because tragedy happened to you, it gives you a greater sense of oneness with others who experience tragedy. Told His followers, & quot ; good. & quot ; in two important ways of choices! That pain and suffering was not part of Gods plan jesus Christ my guess is that what the! 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