Reasons Why God Allows Suffering?

[GoldenEagle]

10 Reasons Why God Allows Suffering

 

Better than asking, “If God is good, why would he allow suffering?” would be to ask, “Because God is holy and no one meets his requirements, why doesn’t he just send everyone to hell?” God is by no means obligated to be gracious to anyone because he is perfectly just and we are sinful in every way. Yet, he displays is grace and mercy by making salvation possible for the elect through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Because we live in a fallen world, suffering occurs and it is healthy to discuss for encouragement.

 

Though there are more than 10, here are some reasons why God allows suffering:

 

1.To make us more like Jesus (Romans 8:17).

2. To make use more dependent on him (2 Corinthians 1:9).

3. To remove idols in our life (1 John 5:21).

4. So that we can learn to comfort others who are also suffering (2 Corinthians 1:4).

5. To remind us that heaven is our home (John 15:19).

6. To remind us of the severity of sin (Genesis 3:14).

7. To give us a deeper impact for the lost because nothing grabs the attention of an unbeliever like a Christian devoted to Christ in the midst of deep pain (Philippians 1:13).

8. To encourage other Christians (Philippians 1:14).

9. To make us long more for heaven (Philippians 1:23).

10. To strengthen our faith (James 1:2-4).

 

Suffering is a blessing. Paul writes to the Philippians, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). Like our faith, suffering has been granted to us and is a blessing for all the reasons mentioned above and more.

 

Ultimately, we won’t know the full reason for our suffering until we get to heaven. At that moment, Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eye, death will be no more, and the current suffering that we experience on earth will not be worth comparing to the glory we will experience for an eternity with our suffering servant Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

“We cannot look at the cross and see Jesus there and think we will be spared.” – John Piper

 

You will suffer. Look to Jesus. Live for heaven. Enjoy the blessing.

 

As a follow-up or split from this thread:

1. Do you agree with this article and this list presented? Can you think of other reasons?

 

2. What role does God play in suffering?

 

3. What role do we as Christians play in suffering? Which of these reasons resonates the most with you?

God bless,

GE

[Guest shiloh357]

It's in seasons of suffering that we are built and strengthened.  It's what sharpens us and makes us stronger, deeper, and wiser as believers.  Historically, the church grew during times of persecution.

 

Consder this:  The great hymns of our faith were not written by theological giants living in ivory towers.  They were written by common people and many of them were written out of their pain and definitely during times of suffering.   "It Is Well" comes to mind.   "What a Friend We have in Jesus" is another one that was written out of a suffering heart.   The great hymn, "Just As I Am" made famous by the Billy Graham Crusades was written by a young lady racked with a painful disabilty.   The most prolific hymn writer in the world, Fannie Crosby was blinded as an infant by a quack doctor, but she memorized the entire NT and wrote more hymns than anyone. 

[GoldenEagle]

 Can you think of other reasons?

 

I'd add to this list these two...

11. That God may suffer and through it He will be/was/will be glorified (Rev 5:12).

 

12. Like Job, we may not know this side of the grave. Perhaps it is a test of our faith? Yet ultimately God gets the glory. (See book of Job)

[missmuffet]

For the Glory of God....

[desi2007]

Other reasons why God allows suffering?

 

-Maybe darkened in their understanding, with the heart.

 

-Maybe to bring us security, that He is always there for us.

 

-Maybe to break down the wall of sin  - living with unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, bitterness.

 

What role does God play in suffering?

 

He suffers with us. To fix our eyes on Him. God's ways are not our ways. His thoughts aren't our thoughts. He is an artist. He will make this mess beautiful.

 

 

....I have had my own suffering, I'm there in my own life now, stuck in the moment, pain on every side. Just so grateful for His grace and mercy to see me through my storms of life. I will say He has pulled me through and empowered me with His strength to press forward just recently with a job promotion at work, I didnt deserve it, but somehow He found favor with me and for that I see His work in my life more and more. Where we see stress. God sees opportunities for us grow.

[MissPlaced_56]

GE,

 I'm gonna throw my hat in this perverbial ring...

AS A parent ,I understand the basics, There have been times in my childrens lives,no matter how much it pained me to do so,it was better for me to let them get that perverbial skinned knee,then for me to save them from it.....they learned more from the skinned knee.

 

Did I cause the skinned knee???, NO!

 

This is how I see this subject....GOD Doesn't "Cause" the skinned knee....

BUT In HIS Goodness,LOVE,MERCY for HIS Children,HE will Turn that skinned knee into something Beautiful!!

 

WE live in a fallen world,GOD gave us all Free Will, HE want's children,NOT Robot's

I think we all at one time or another go thru our own "Season in hell"...to coin a phrase.

From FEBURARY 2008 to about NOW...I've spent my own season in hell as it were....

I lost both of my parent's,was attacked by my only sister and one of my brothers because of our mother's penchant for pitting her children against each other,i've done all that i can to repair the damage that i can...

2 surgeries, the shingles, followed by another surgery...painful recoveries...nerve damage left by 1 of the surgeries.....

 

NOW did GOD cause these to teach me a lesson??

OF COURSE NOT!

as a  father would you intentionally hurt or make you're child sick..OF COURSE NOT!

 

People seem to get the notion in their heads that GOD causes their suffering...NOT TRUE!

The Promise was and still is that HE WOULD WALK WITH ME ALL THE DAY"S OF MY LIFE...HE never once promised me a bed of rose's,why should HE?? HIS certainly wasn't !!

has HE kept HIS promise..YES!!

He's held me when the pain was so bad all i could do was cry....HE gave me understanding for what was happening,YES HE WILL IF YOU ASK......

HE can use me just as I am.....I don't need to be whole to reach out to hurting people,all i need is an open heart.. the last thing a hurting person needs is to be told "Well honey,GOD sent this to you for a reason"..SAY WHAT??!!

tho well meaning, this doesn't help a hurting soul at all..

some folk's seem to think that i'm too fre and open about my personal life.. i say why not??

if something in my life can be used to reach out and help a hurting soul, then i'm gonna give it all that i got...which is why i'm being so long winded in this thread...

 some will say ..ahh but scripture says.....yes it does,but it must be put in an understandable format, as it applies to this or that person's need....i know for a fact,that when well meaning brother's,sisters threw scripture at me..it did more wounding then healing....

GOD has turned my ashes to joy..do i still have one of those day's sure...and i will as long as i'm on this Earth.BUT I know where to run when i fall down....

GBU All

[desi2007]

GE, I'm gonna throw my hat in this perverbial ring...AS A parent ,I understand the basics, There have been times in my childrens lives,no matter how much it pained me to do so,it was better for me to let them get that perverbial skinned knee,then for me to save them from it.....they learned more from the skinned knee. Did I cause the skinned knee???, NO! This is how I see this subject....GOD Doesn't "Cause" the skinned knee....BUT In HIS Goodness,LOVE,MERCY for HIS Children,HE will Turn that skinned knee into something Beautiful!! WE live in a fallen world,GOD gave us all Free Will, HE want's children,NOT Robot'sI think we all at one time or another go thru our own "Season in hell"...to coin a phrase.From FEBURARY 2008 to about NOW...I've spent my own season in hell as it were....I lost both of my parent's,was attacked by my only sister and one of my brothers because of our mother's penchant for pitting her children against each other,i've done all that i can to repair the damage that i can...2 surgeries, the shingles, followed by another surgery...painful recoveries...nerve damage left by 1 of the surgeries..... NOW did GOD cause these to teach me a lesson??OF COURSE NOT!as a  father would you intentionally hurt or make you're child sick..OF COURSE NOT! People seem to get the notion in their heads that GOD causes their suffering...NOT TRUE!The Promise was and still is that HE WOULD WALK WITH ME ALL THE DAY"S OF MY LIFE...HE never once promised me a bed of rose's,why should HE?? HIS certainly wasn't !!has HE kept HIS promise..YES!!He's held me when the pain was so bad all i could do was cry....HE gave me understanding for what was happening,YES HE WILL IF YOU ASK......HE can use me just as I am.....I don't need to be whole to reach out to hurting people,all i need is an open heart.. the last thing a hurting person needs is to be told "Well honey,GOD sent this to you for a reason"..SAY WHAT??!!tho well meaning, this doesn't help a hurting soul at all..some folk's seem to think that i'm too fre and open about my personal life.. i say why not??if something in my life can be used to reach out and help a hurting soul, then i'm gonna give it all that i got...which is why i'm being so long winded in this thread... some will say ..ahh but scripture says.....yes it does,but it must be put in an understandable format, as it applies to this or that person's need....i know for a fact,that when well meaning brother's,sisters threw scripture at me..it did more wounding then healing....GOD has turned my ashes to joy..do i still have one of those day's sure...and i will as long as i'm on this Earth.BUT I know where to run when i fall down....GBU All

I sense a natural drift. My eyes are opened up. Everyone has pain and hurt. Spending time with our Father helps us otherwise we become like a dry sponge, cant wring water out of it if its never been in the water. Sometimes our hearts and spirit get like this when we havent invested daily walk with our Father.

[MissPlaced_56]

desi, i'm not understanding what you mean.....a natural drift??

could you please explain this to me sister?

GBU

[GoldenEagle]

Read this today...

 

“Whether it's a Christian or a non-Christian, there's nothing like suffering to show us how small, needy, and not in control we are. Suffering has a way of sobering us up to the realization that we can't make it on our own, that we need help, that we're broken.” - Tullian Tchividjian

[GoldenEagle]

For the Glory of God....

 

Ultimately yes suffering occurs for God's glory I agree.