Why God Allows Suffering

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There was a horrific battle in a war torn land, after  which thousands of civilians including women and children were buried in a mass grave.  This grave was surrounded by markers each of which had a single word, "Why?"  This is often the most difficult question for survivors to ask and to answer.  This question is asked tearfully whenever any tragedy takes loved ones from us be it through crime, war, disaster or disease or brings suffering in other ways.  Naturally, people want to know why such things happen to them.

Why is it that God allows such things to happen? If Jehovah is the gresat being he is purported to be, why is the world full of so much strife?  Have you ever thought about such things before?

Which leads to another question.  Is it wrong to ask why God allows suffering?  Many people fear that by asking this question or others like it that they are displaying disrespect for God or are suffering a lack of faith.  Nevertheless, upon examination of the Bible it is found that God-fearing people had very similar questions.  Habakkuk asked Jehovah this question: "Why is it that you make me see what is hurtful, and you keep looking upon mere trouble?  And why are despoiling and violence in front of me, and why does quarreling occur, and why is strife carried?  Habakkuk 1:3

Was Habakkuk reprimanded for asking these questions?  No.  Instead of punishing Habakkuk, God chose to include his words in the inspired accolunt of the Bible.  Jehovah also helped him to obtain a better comprehension of matters and to gain greater faith.   Jehovah wants this for you as well.  The Bible teaches us "he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7  God despises wickedness and the torment that is brought about by it, more so than any human does.  Read Isaiah 55:8,9.  So, why is there all the trouble in the world today if it is despised by human and God alike?

In the various religions, people have asked their religios leaders why there is so much suffering.  Many times the answer is that this suffering is God's will; that long ago he determined  everything that would ever happen, including all the terrible events that occur.  Other times it is said that God works in mysterious ways.  And it is even said that God  brings death to people, including children, so he can have them in heaven with them.  However, God never is the catalyst of what is bad.  The Bible tells us : "Far be it from the true God to act wickedly, and the Almighty to act unjustly!"  Job 34:10

Why is it that that people mistakenly blame God for all the badness in the world?  Often it is due to the fact that they do not realize that God has allowed Satan to rule the world for the time being.  For more information on this see An Opposer Appears.

At 1 John 5:19 it is unequivocally stated: "The entire world is lying in the power of the wicked one."  After carefully considering this, doesn't it make sense?  The personality of the spirit creature that  is "misleading the entire inhabited earth" is rflected by the world as it exists today.  Revelation 12:9  Satan is cruel, malicious and full of trickery.  Therefore, under his influence, the world is also full of such things.  This is one reason there is suffering in the world.

Another reason there is suffering in the world is the imperfection of sinful man.  Which, as we have learned, is due to Satan's influence.  Humans are apt to to do anything to gain dominance over one another.  This brings about wars and suffering from oppression. Ecclesiastes 4:1, 8:9  "Time and unforeseen occurrence"  is a third reason for the tribulation seen in the world.  Ecclesiastes 9:11  Lacking Jehovah as our Protector, many people fall victim to tragedy because they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It brings comfort to know that Jehovah does not  cause the  pain found in the world. Nonetheless, we need to know, why does God allow the suffering.  Being the Almighty, he certainly has the power to send the pain and tragedy in the world today.  Why is he waiting?  A loving God surely has a valid reason.  1 John 4:8   

This lesson is continued at Raising A Vital Issue.

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