Why is suffering allowed?

[GoldenEagle]

I've thought about this question before and it came up again recently with the tragedies in Oklahoma: Why is suffering allowed? Also does all suffering have purpose and meaning? Here's my thoughts.

 

First regarding suffering the good news is that our suffering in this life is only for a short time when we look at the rest of eternity. (1 Pet. 5:10)

A. For God’s Glory:

Job is the ultimate story of suffering besides that of Christ. Job lost everything including his children, riches, standing in society. And the incredible aspect of Job’s story is that he did nothing wrong and yet suffered. Yet God’s purpose was to glorify His name in Job. The pain and suffering Job experienced allowed God to share with Job who He was and what He was about. (See the book of Job)

B. Chastisement by God:

Sometimes people suffer because His children whom God loves He chastises and rebukes for the purpose of repentance. (Heb. 12:6-8, Rev. 3:19) The purpose is as well for cleansing of our lives of unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

C. For the Lord Jesus Christ & Furthering of the Gospel:

Jesus healed a man named Lazarus and yet he explained that the man had the sickness for the glory of God. (John 11:2-4) Later it is understood that some who saw this and other miracles believed in Jesus. (John 11:45) Some in particular believed because of Jesus healing Lazarus. (John 12:11) God was in complete control and had a purpose in allowing the sickness.

The story of Jim Elliott comes to mind. Jim was a missionary to natives who never heard the Gospel. They ended up killing Jim. Yet, years later many came to believe and trust in Jesus Christ.

We are told that those who are in Jesus Christ will suffer persecution. (2 Tim 3:12) Jesus Himself promised suffering that if anyone would come after Him they were to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow in His footsteps. (Luke 9:23)

D. God’s Instruction and Teaching in Suffering:

God is at war with Satan waging the battles for the souls on men. As soldiers of Jesus Christ we’re called to endure hardness at times. (2 Tim. 2:3) One of the fruits of the spirit is long-suffering. (Gal. 5:22) Sometimes I wonder if we as Christians gloss over that one when reading the others?
 

Long-Suffering

adjective

1. enduring injury, trouble, or provocation long and patiently.

noun

2. long and patient endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation: years of long-suffering and illness.

 

David himself, the man after God’s own heart, said that perhaps it is for good that bad things happened to him so he might learn God’s ways. (Ps. 119:71)

The of course there is the fact that all things work for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. (Rom. 8:28) And yet we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:13)

Often God doesn’t want to change our circumstances but He does want to change our hearts.

E. Contrasting This World and Life What is to Come:

We live in a fallen, sin-filled world. In Revelation 21:4 we’re told in the Bible there will be a time where there will be no more tears and death will be no more. There won’t be mourning, crying, or any pain any longer as God creates the New Heaven and New Earth. So perhaps in this life there is suffering to contrast with what is to come?

Conclusion:

If God were to remove all suffering then He would also remove the ability of men to make decisions for good or evil. It would almost be like nullifying the free will that allowed Adam/Eve to choose to sin in the Garden of Eden. Through one man sin entered the world and through One Son of Man God provided a way (John14:6) for the creation of God to become children of God (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1). God doesn’t desire mindless servants or a form of robots. God desires a relationship with His creation. God desires to adopt us into His family and become co-heirs with Christ. (Rom. 8:17) God uses the suffering of the world as a result of sin to accomplish His purposes. However, I believe some suffering happens simply because of sin and evil in the world.

 

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For clarification I don't think this happened because God is chastising the residents of Oklahoma. I don't understand it all. Yet I believe God uses the suffering of this world to accomplish His purposes. Praying for all those who have suffered during this time of trials in Oklahoma. Praying too for God's comfort/strength for those who have lost loved ones and their homes. Praying too for God's comfort/strength for those who have lost loved ones and their homes.

 

Thoughts on these points A-E??

 

God bless,

GE

[missmuffet]

Job suffered,Joseph suffered,David suffered,Christ suffered.

 

Romans 8:28

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

[Willa]

For God's glory. Jn 9:2-3. The disciples asked why a man was born blind: whose sin caused this. Jesus answered "neither--but that the works of God might be revealed in him". Jesus fullfilled prophecy in this act of healing the blind. He did it in obedience to the Father. He did this so that the people might eventually see Him as the promised Messiah. This revelation seems to be then, as now something that only God can reveal to a person's heart. Mt 16:16-17 Many jews also rejected Christ after he healed Lazarus, and hardened their hearts to kill him and Lazarus, as well. Today some people still reject miracles and healing, rationalizing them and hardening their hearts to the works of God. But it is good to question and be discerning, since one of the signs of the antichrist will be miricles as well. Satan does mimic those things, even tranforming himself into an angel of light.

Hebrews 5:8 Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered. And having been perfected (matured), He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ???. (Here, as always, obedience is the fruit of genuine salvation and not its means.)

We also are matured in our obedience through suffering. This is especially true when we suffer for Christ's sake. But all suffering may bring us closer to God as we rely on Him for strengh and grace.

[franszwa]

This World’s God

The Bible also calls the devil the “god of this world”—another shocking revelation! This is what II Corinthians 4:4 states: “In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel…should shine unto them.”

Satan blinds the world to the true gospel for a personal reason. It describes the soon-coming kingdom of God—God’s world-ruling government. Of course, Satan seeks to block people from understanding this marvelous truth, not wanting “light” to shine on God’s incredible purpose for mankind. He wants humanity, collectively and individually, to think it is All Gods fault. Actually, the devil recognizes that the arrival of God’s kingdom means he will be banished from his current position (Rev. 20:2-3) of global influence as the god humanity unwittingly worships. He will no longer be permitted to deceive or weaken the nations. He also realizes he can never have what God has offered to men.

In John 12:31, 14:30 and 16:11, Christ refers to Satan as “the prince of this world.” These verses state that the devil will one day be judged. John 12:31 parallels the judgment of this world with Satan’s judgment. Why? Because this world is his! Paul’s inspired statement reveals that he is literally its “god.”

This is the plain truth from your Bible! Man’s civilization, with its cultures, ways and systems, is under the control of the devil!

Consider. If Satan has deceived the entire world, then this cannot be God’s world. (Also see I John 5:19.) And since the whole world is deceived, it is cut off from God. Deceived people do not know their purpose for being, and practice lives that reflect this ignorance (Isa. 59:1-2; Jer. 5:25).

We could ask: How can a single being deceive over six billion people? There are two primary ways.

First, Revelation 12:9 concludes with, “he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Notice that it says, “his angels.” These beings, which he leads, are referred to as demons (or fallen angels), and they assist Satan in his role of superdeceiver. Therefore, Satan does not work alone—he has millions of deceived spirit beings who help him.

But there is much more to understand. There is a second, equally important way through which Satan has so successfully deceived such vast numbers of people—and hidden their enormous potential from them.

[ayin jade]

My only thought as I sit here is .....

 

The physical pain I have endured for years has gotten worse in the last 2-3 months. Im really tired of it. 

 

And thats the only complaint you will likely hear from me. 

 

Praising the Lord even in this. 

[Hall7]

In my opinion suffering only applies to mortals, the mortal mind suffers. The immortal spirit doesn't. It's kind of an illusion really while here on Earth...

[Willa]

My only thought as I sit here is .....

 

The physical pain I have endured for years has gotten worse in the last 2-3 months. Im really tired of it. 

 

And thats the only complaint you will likely hear from me. 

 

Praising the Lord even in this.

Lord, please touch and heal Jady, alleve her suffering and restore her body. Give her special grace and blessing to endure what she must endure, but I ask that You ease her suffering, raise her pain threhold and and stay the progress of the affliction. Grant her mercy, I implore You. You promised us to not give us more than we can endure, but to provide a way of escape. You are the God of the impossible. Thank yoù Jesus that you suffered as we do as You hung on a cross, and that You now sit on the right hand of the Father interceding for her. Please also allow her sound, restorative sleep. Thank You for her and the blessing she is to us on Worthy.

And please forgive me and have mercy on me. I am a terrible complainer and I know this this doesn't please You.. I really don't want to wander in the wilderness for 40 years because of it. In Jesus name, Amen.

[GoldenEagle]

In discussing this with others here's some more thoughts...

 

Suffering can also occur IMO because we live in a fallen world and there's sin in it. Some things simply don't make sense us. Some things are not anyone's fault.

Also IMO people have free will as well and make poor choices that directly or indirectly affect others lives. (lung cancer due to smoking and/or drunk driver example)

Finally, there's the idea that somehow our experiences give us insight into what others with similar experiences go through.

 

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

My only thought as I sit here is .....

 

The physical pain I have endured for years has gotten worse in the last 2-3 months. Im really tired of it. 

 

And thats the only complaint you will likely hear from me. 

 

Praising the Lord even in this. 

 

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So sorry AJ. Praying for you sister!

[Littlelambseativy]

As with all the turmoil in the world with storms, earthquakes, volcanoes and floods, God is trying to get the attention of the people. Sadly, as the one woman after the Ok. tornado said, "I prayed like h-ll."( brief version). What an indictment on the society and their relationship with Christ - needed just to get me out of trouble but don't bother me when all is well but boy if things go bad God brought it on. Man no longer needs the Father and the time is so short. How long did the churches stay full after 911? God was soon out of the equation forgotten like a Sundays school lesson of 40 yrs. ago. No one is listening to the Father's gentle call so the tone gets louder and harsher. Then one day when we are gone and all hell breaks loose whose fault will it be then?

For the Christian He has promised not to give us more than we can bear.