| Justin was a typical ten year old boy. He liked | | | | that our faith in Him will grow, our compassion for |
| Leggos, trains, and watching TV. He had red hair, | | | | others will increase, and we'll be better able to |
| freckles, and a huge smile. Justin was a great kid and | | | | encourage other hurting people (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). |
| everybody loved him. Because of cancer, he didn't | | | | 6) Romans 1:22 says that God gives rebellious people |
| live to see his eleventh birthday. His mom Mary, who | | | | over to their own foolishness. He lets us go, hoping |
| had watched him suffer for months, held her son in | | | | that we will return to Him after we hit bottom and |
| her arms when he died. Every day, for the last two | | | | see the error of our ways. Giving His permission is |
| years, she has lived with the grief of her loss and the | | | | not the same as causing the problem. God doesn't |
| memories of Justin's suffering. | | | | cause people to stubbornly refuse to follow His way. |
| This issue of suffering is the most common argument | | | | He doesn't want us to go ever deeper into |
| against religion. People often ask, "If there is a loving | | | | degradation, but He does permit us to have our way |
| God, why does He make people suffer?" | | | | when we are determined to choose our own path. |
| I firmly believe that God does not cause sickness or | | | | BUT WE ARE NOT WITHOUT HOPE: |
| pain. He doesn't make people hurt, and He doesn't | | | | Though this world is no longer perfect, God will |
| want them to suffer. The life of Jesus proved this. | | | | create a perfect world some day in heaven. He will |
| He cured people; He did not make them sick. Why, | | | | get rid of everything that is not HIS. Suffering, sin, |
| then, are so many in pain? | | | | pain, tears and death are not HIS. "When the |
| There is no easy answer. To try and understand, I | | | | perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and |
| step back and look at the big picture. God made | | | | the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is |
| everything perfect. Then man sinned and that | | | | written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up |
| perfection was spoiled. Now we live in a world where | | | | in victory.'" (1 Corinthians 15:54) |
| evil abounds. We are subject to the evil actions of | | | | We have HOPE that all suffering will be relieved when |
| sinful people and to the natural consequences of | | | | we go to spend eternity with God. But this promise |
| those actions. This is not at all what God intended for | | | | of eternal bliss is only for those who know, serve, |
| the world He created. | | | | and love Him. |
| God can and does intervene in some events, but | | | | God doesn't cause suffering; Satan does. When we |
| why not others? Only He knows that answer, but | | | | get angry at God, it's exactly what Satan wants. By |
| the Bible teaches that there will be a time when He | | | | blaming God for evil, we're actually following the one |
| will put an end to ALL death, sadness, pain, sickness, | | | | who IS responsible. |
| and suffering. | | | | "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil |
| Below are some possible reasons that people suffer. | | | | prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone |
| 1) We do things ourselves that cause us pain. We | | | | to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, |
| don't eat right, so we have heart attacks. We drive | | | | because you know that your brothers throughout |
| fast, so we have accidents. We smoke, so we get | | | | the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. |
| cancer. We start wars, we break laws, we don't | | | | And the God of all grace, who called you to his |
| show love to our fellow man. Much of the sorrow in | | | | eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little |
| this world, we bring upon ourselves by our own | | | | while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, |
| actions. | | | | firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:8-11) |
| 2) But what about innocent children who are not | | | | Our souls are of greater importance to God than our |
| responsible for their suffering? Why do they get | | | | bodies are. Though He cares about our physical |
| sick? This is a tough question. What I know for sure | | | | suffering, healing our soul is more urgent because it is |
| is that when God created this world, He intended for | | | | the soul that lives forever. Our relationship with God |
| us to have strong, healthy bodies and freedom from | | | | is what determines where that soul spends eternity. |
| pain and suffering. When evil entered the picture, it | | | | If only those who suffer here on earth would seek |
| brought with it suffering. That is not to say people | | | | God and the true healing (of the soul) that He offers! |
| suffer because of their own personal sins, | | | | In this world, bad things happen to good people. |
| necessarily, but the world is changed, due to sin being | | | | Those who have a personal relationship with God are |
| part of the world. Jesus said, "In this world, you will | | | | better able to cope. We can live without fear, even |
| have tribulation." | | | | though we do not know what the future holds, if we |
| Just as in the case with Job, I believe that evil forces | | | | know the one who holds the future in His hands. |
| attack us and cause much suffering in an attempt to | | | | When we discover the great love God has for us, |
| get people to blame God and turn away from Him. | | | | we can let go of fear. |
| (Job 2:3-9) | | | | Psalm 27:1 says "The Lord is my salvation. Whom |
| 3) God gives us rights as individuals. Because He | | | | shall I fear?" Jesus triumphed over death, and He |
| allows us to choose for ourselves how we'll live, He | | | | alone can save us from eternal death. He can also |
| had to also allow us the freedom to sin. This means | | | | see us through all the trials of life and bring us safely |
| He had to allow the consequences of our behaviors, | | | | to heaven. |
| too. Some of those consequences are diseases | | | | I don't have all the answers. I just hope that, in |
| caused by toxins, accidents caused by risky | | | | sharing what I've learned through my own |
| behaviors, and natural disasters caused by things like | | | | experience, I've helped you to feel more at peace |
| changes in the ozone layer, which we have brought | | | | knowing God has ultimate control in every |
| about. | | | | circumstance. He is GOOD, no matter what evil |
| 4) Though some people think God punishes us by | | | | befalls us. We can trust in the one who is full of |
| making us suffer, Jesus said that a blind man He | | | | compassion and loves us more than we can imagine. |
| healed was born blind, not because of his sin or his | | | | Without that knowledge, I don't know how anyone |
| parents' sin, but "that the works of God should be | | | | could cope with the trials of life. |
| revealed in him." (John 9:3) God didn't cause the | | | | No one can comfort the depths of our sorrows |
| blindness, but He used it to show His power to all | | | | except God. I'm convinced that if you read His |
| who saw Jesus heal the man. | | | | promises in the Bible, your heart will be encouraged. |
| 5) Another possible reason God allows suffering is so | | | | |