When a member is down and discouraged, the church is called to lift that person up. God May Be Allowing This Emotional Suffering in Your Life Because He Wants a Deeper Relationship with You We will get to why does God allow suffering? But God sees the bigger picture and one day He will reveal it to us. Also see How To Listen To God to learn more. 2023 BGEA Here are five biblical reasons why God allows suffering. He didnt avoid it, he used it. Not by trying to produce heaven on earth but by recognizing that for the Christian the best is yet to be.. At the first sign of a headache, we pop a few Tylenol. Jesus encourages pain. One of our cultural values is freedom. Until we understand that there are things we will not see this side of heaven, this question will cause us to stumble. Suffering produces growth and maturity (James 1:2-4). At least not to the end of why does God allow suffering. 3:13 ). God wants us to realize that and freely do what is good and right by our own choice, not because He is forcing us to. The truth is: If God can't somehow love you through the pain and suffering, then He shields you from it. Husband. Believers are saved but not fully sanctified. Whether someone is a life-long follower of Jesus or just curious about Christianity's beliefs, followers, history, and practices, Christianity FAQ aims to offer trustworthy information that is easy to understand. Hebrews 5:14 tells us, "But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.". If we seek God, He is faithful and He will provide. A headache might tell you that you are dehydrated. The problem is often in our world pain can quickly move to suffering. Through free will, we have the freedom to do what we want and whatever pleases us. Genesis 1:31 says God saw all that He had made and it was very good," he continued. Return to homepage. The devil said to God, If You take all those possessions away from him, hell curse You and turn from You. But God replied, You can do anything to him, except you cant kill him, and then well see (Cf. (Rom. So much of the world's suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. Everything we see and experience, from illnesses and injuries to grievous injustices and moral decay, are the result of a fallen world. I've been there. Challenges as something to be avoided. Job 1:11-12). That is not at all who He is. He was a pastor for 10 years. Now the earth was tohu va-vohu Genesis 1:2. But often doubt that God can use our suffering for anything of value. You can feel for them in that suffering situation. That explains where pain and suffering came from, but it does not answer the question, why does God allow pain and suffering?. God is causing your suffering because ______. True followers of Jesus are spared from suffering. Let me explain. What do you have to do to be ready? But God has provided a rescue in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Back to our question about why God allows pain and suffering. I survey a variety of world views and offer five Biblical explanations for suffering in an attempt to answer these questions. Sometimes it's simply for his glory and our good. It's one of the tools He uses to get stubborn sheep to greener pastures. So, will you let your pain teach you? Satan did not call into question Jehovah's power. God may use physical evil to chastise individuals or nations and lead them to repent ( Isaiah 45:7, Genesis 6:13, Acts 13:9-11 ). We give up too easily. What mentality should believers have toward pain? After realizing the weight of our decisions, we are then given the opportunity to grow wise or not, it depends on us. In our pain, we long to know why God allows grief and hardship into our lives. Church Planter. A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. I mean seriously, whats the point of pain? Far too often well-meaning Christians and misinformed churches simply throw band-aide answers at the question and ignore the pain that the person is going through. God designed humans to love. God gave us free will and wants us to exercise it. Harm that was brought upon us by another human. Many have walked away from their faith because of the suffering theyve experienced. Some of the most faithful believers in the Bible experienced pain. Thats a different topic that you can read here: Why Does God Allow Suffering? Growth is spurred by failures, losses, challenges, difficult situations, break ups, financial woes, and the rest of the calamities that hit our life In other words, pain is what causes us to grow. Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering? We think theres no way something good could come from our suffering. But Jesus sent them anyway. That way they can benefit from it as you have. If the Bible offers a range of perspectives on God and suffering, then we must be willing to sort and weigh them when we are faced with difficulty. Paul writes, We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose, (Romans 8:28). Ultimately God's plan will put an end to murder, cancer, tragic accidents, loneliness, sadness, depression, and grief. The Bible says, It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). If God is good, the thinking goes, he would eliminate pain and suffering. So why does God allow suffering? When God created everything, He said it was all "good." Some physical evil may be the result of the original sin of Adam and Eve ( Genesis 3:6, Romans 5:12-14 ). Ground yourself in these Bible-based truths Billy Graham once shared. Use PayPal or a Credit Card for safe, secure giving. Betrayal leaves many wondering if they will ever be whole again. If you touch a hot stove your body reacts with pain that causes you to quickly move your hand. The Bible doesnt diminish our experience of suffering. Pain produces holy attributes in the life of a believer like endurance, character, hope, and steadfastness. My answer is simple: God doesn't allow suffering, God is suffering. Pain is our enemy. This question takes on a whole different (and painful) reality when we are the ones suffering. Satan deceived Eve and she ate the forbidden fruit, and gave some to her husband who also ate. Jesus Christ now sits at the right hand of God the Father, and He sees our suffering. God sees the larger picture. God does not put you through pain, but rather the pain you go through comes as a result of disobedience or wrong choices you make, or sometimes from the wickedness in the world. We are the creators of suffering. God's wrath is righteous. 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). These answers dont comfort and often arent even true. I know most of us wouldnt say that. God is redeeming all things for His good and our benefit. Weve established why pain and suffering exists, but we also know that God has the power to stop pain and suffering. We should recognize that, but theres a larger point I want to make. I know it almost never seems that way. Failing to recognize or master these things often creates suffering for others. Taking the bad of this world and redeeming for something good. He can bring good out of evil. Adam and Eves bodies were created to be perfect in all ways no illness or injury. Sin lurks at each of our doors. There is a mystery as to why He put people on this earth. God uses pain, in part, to refine the hearts and minds of people. We all experience pain, and even suffering at some time in our lives. Find hope, peace, and security today. They just make the suffering worse. Friends, we live in a broken world marred with sin. Sometimes pain increases a persons dependence on God, leads them to draw near to him more, and causes them to study the Bible and pray more. 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.". But theres a flaw in that question. Jesus was not sparred pain in his life and his followers are not exempt from pain either. Abraham's Bosom? All suffering includes pain, but not all pain is suffering. Bearing these facts in mind, sometimes God permits suffering to keep us from a greater suffering later or to preserve us for a greater good. What caused you to appreciate life more? I know that. In the beginning, God created a world absent of suffering. So, lets look at what suffering is and how a good God can allow suffering to exist. They're actually meant to make us see our grave need for Him. For example, David wrote, "My soul is in deep Christianity FAQ exists to help people understand the Christian faith. Not only can pain and love co-exist but when you choose to love you risk pain. Suffering is in our lives because we are living in a broken world. Pastor. Is Leonard Cohens Hallelujah a Christian Song? Sin is the reason that we have afflictions, including death. The last chapter of the Bible makes it clear that there is a happy ending to what is NOT a fairy tale. Id love to hear from you! In suffering there is also, I believe, a message of warning. Where was that? The meaning of this verse makes it clear that pain and suffering have a way of bringing our strengths and weaknesses to the surface. One of the greatest gifts of God is free will. He set out on a path to redeem humanity. There is life and health, and there is disease and death. The Bible clearly teaches that isnt true. By There is no indication in Pauls description that God was chastising him for sin. You can check it out here: Lee Strobel Reflecting On A Mass Shooting. When we suddenly bear an affliction, our pride, impatience, and unbelief will often surface. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. We rebelled against God, and still do. We know that pain and suffering was not part of Gods plan. So what should we do the next time we experience some kind of pain? Last and most importantly, in God our pains and failures aren't meant to harm us. Some day, for all of you, if you dont know God, the music will stop. Put your email in the box below! But in the meantime, we do not suffer alone. Conclusion. Challenges as something to be avoided. Pain is a blessing. Then we will be able to see the whole story and how masterfully it was written and how much love God has for us. Suffering can show up in many ways. We might not like it, but its true. Job was sharing his agony of spirit with the very God he could not understand. So why is there suffering if God didnt create it? And lets not forget Point 2, its not pointless. Pauls idea is not that we must suffer the same thing as another person in order to minister the hope and comfort of God. This verse doesnt mean that God wont give you more than you can handle. The Bible teaches that Satan is the author of sin. Sin is the reason that we have afflictions, including death. Since suffering exists, the assumption is God is either loving but impotent, or powerful but calloused. Thats why He rose from the dead. Most English Bibles render this verse as: "The earth was empty and without . If God is good, why do people suffer? Pain is not a danger to avoid. I hope that this teaching on why does God allow suffering helped you rethink parts of your life and faith. Doesnt God care that Im suffering? (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Leave a comment! We decide where we move too. When the dross floats to the surface, God skims it off; he purifies and refines us to be the radiant bride of Christ. Its a painful picture of what we must give up to follow Jesus. He understands it all. The people surveyed reported that pain limits their activity three days per week on average. When someone in the church is in need, we are to come alongside them to help them through their suffering. Reasons God allows pain in the life of unbelievers include showing them their need for God and as judgment for sin. Failure as the end. Some people mistakenly believe that Gods children wont (or shouldnt) experience pain. God allows pain in the life of an unbeliever so that they will become a believer. Will Graham Devotion: 3 Reminders in Your Suffering, Will Graham Devotion: Suffering for Jesus. Unbelievers sometimes experience pain because of sin in their life. So they were created with perfect bodies and godly minds capable of directing their desires and will, and reflecting Gods nature and His glory. Being in perfect communion with God they had everything they needed to trust God in all things, but sadly they chose to disobey God and eat of the forbidden fruit. The Bibles approach to the problem of suffering makes it clear that discernment is necessary every step of the way. The hope and peace we so desperately seek is not found in stopping every bad thing from . God took the initiative in giving His Son, Jesus Christ. Genuine Praise & Real Hope, The Prayer Guide Us With Faith; Give Us Grace; Keep Us Safe, The Cross from the Fathers, Sons, and Believers Perspectives. In the beginning, all of creation reflected Gods glory. to learn more. Why is He allowing these bad things to happen to me? The Bible teaches that we are to be patient in suffering. Church Planter. As mentioned above, when Adam and Eve sinned, their bodies began the dying process and they became susceptible to disease and death; and their minds and wills were no longer governed by being in perfect communion with their Creator. And the Bible teaches us to bring this message to those in the midst of suffering. He created, gave life, put order, assigned man to govern everything, and warned him of the danger that eating what is forbidden brings. God is waiting, Hes being patient, Hes continually pursuing those far from Him in hopes they will return to Him. But man rebelled against God. But we shouldnt run from pain. Romans 8:28 echos this promise. We may hurt so badly that even those who try to bring comfort feel the pain. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his . But God has provided a rescue in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jeffery Curtis Poor | June 5, 2020January 20, 2020 | Featured, Following Jesus (Practical Faith), What Does the Bible Say About Why does God allow pain? Lee Strobel wrote an excellent piece that I adapted some of the points below from. Maybe we are thinking about pain in the wrong light. Our culture is both obsessed with pain and terrified of it at the same time. Home (Deuteronomy 31:8). God is still pursuing His people. Time stamps below. But we can understand what God has spoken to us through His Word. We all face suffering in some way, shape or form. There are a few things that are important things on the topic of suffering we should know. God uses suffering to expose the sin that clings so closely to our hearts. Its a common question that is used to argue that either God is not all-good or He is not all-powerful. We dont know the answer. And we may never know until God explains all things to us. Believe that in your pain and suffering, God is ever present. An accident that leads to lifelong pain. Because of this, some people will get angry with God, believing He did nothing to stop the sin that unfolded. So, what do we know about why does God allow suffering? Why is there pain in the world? None. Pain stimulates the development of certain virtues in a Christians life. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. Something we cannot see or even understand? But this article isnt really about the benefit of pain when we step on a rusty nail. In this article on what of focus on our response to pain and how its a good thing. Suffering carries a message of mystery. The suffering we experience we see as too harmful, the damage too extreme, to be repaired much less be used for something good. God uses pain to conform us more into the image of his Son. While this may be a hard truth to understand, suffering is that it prepares Christians for more glory. In other words, Christians still sin. Accidents and diseases do not discriminate. The question, why does God allow pain and suffering, is always asked of pain and suffering experienced by those we deem to be innocent or undeserving of such affliction. Thats why its so important to not run away from failures, challenges, difficulties, and pain so fast. 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. People are going to watch us as Christians. Explore this snippet Tye Tribbett's sermon about pain and why God allows it! Why does God allow suffering? This was a very emotional time. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. But there is another possible answer: God's purpose for human beings is to bring them to know and love him. In suffering there is a message of unity. Cancer Patient's Pain and Suffering show their faith in action to you. He might not keep usfrompain and suffering but He will keep us (hold us and care for us)inour pain and suffering. to learn more. And if God can't work the pain and suffering together for good, He doesn't send it . God allows pain in the life of a believer, so they will know him better. We grow the most in the hard seasons of life. If you want a larger picture about what the Bible says about pain you can read the verses here: Verses about pain. In the Bible you will find the answers to the questions and the problems of your life. Now we ask: what's the role of God in the coming of death and pain in the world? Love cannot be forced, it must be chosen. He clothed them (see Genesis 3:21). Reason no. 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. The Bible contains a lot of suffering, but surprisingly says little about it. Thanks to us, the moral . God is loving and merciful, kind and good, all-knowing and perfect in all His ways. In doing so they broke the perfect communion that they had with God and plunged the world into sin and darkness. I want to forgive you. God didn't design the earth to have evil and suffering in it; he made it perfect. Philip Yancey in The Question that Never Goes Away. In a universe with no ultimate standard of good, there could be no "good, better, and best.". Pain and suffering are realities in our everyday life. Without pain, we would be in grave danger and not even know it. The problem is our culture sees pain as the enemy. Trials take our minds off of things of the world and put them back on the Lord. #christianyoutubechannel #viral #tyetribbett #pain It was not in His original plan that suffering would take place. This idea is false. Although I was only two years old, this pain resurfaced as I grew older. If God created us without free will, we would be living machines and not made in His image and likeness. When the complexity of suffering rears us its head, we will find ourselves ill-equipped to deal with the ramifications. Trying to be more like Jesus each day. He uses it to remove sin from our lives and to make us more into the image of Christ. We might not like the pain, but it does serve a purpose. [12] Suffering seems meaningless and cruel when not taken in the context of faith. In these verses, Paul is referring to multiple types of suffering mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. The Bible actually does the opposite, it promises that we will experience pain in this life. Yes, life was simple, but there was no suffering. Jerry Bridges writes, God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children. Jesus sees pain as an avenue for growth. 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Of this verse makes it clear that pain and suffering in an attempt to answer these questions suffering mental physical! Not forget point 2, its not pointless their faith in action to.!
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