Why Does God Allow Suffering? (4 Biblical Reasons)
If you had the choice to end all human suffering, would you?
I imagine, for most of us, the answer would be a quick and easy “YES!”
After all, no one wants to suffer or watch someone they love suffer — especially with all the horrific things that we hear about on the news every day.
Bombings, natural disasters, abuse, murder, rape…
There’s certainly no shortage of evil in this world, and unfortunately, some people seem to get more than their fair share of suffering in this life.
Yet, as awful and evil as the circumstances that cause our suffering can be, what if there’s more to our suffering than just hurt?
In other words, as awful as it is, what if it’s not ALL bad?
What if there is some good in there?
What if it’s hiding, and we can only find it if we look closely?
After all, we KNOW God loves us.
(John 3:16 tells us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”)
And we KNOW God is all powerful.
(Matthew 19:26 says, “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.””)
So if you are wondering, “Why does God allow suffering?” honestly, I don’t blame you.
It doesn’t make sense.
It hurts.
It’s hard.
But while we may never fully understand why God allows suffering on this side of Heaven, I hope this post does shed some light on the issue and offer some degree of comfort for you in your hurting today.
Suffering Was NOT Part of God’s Original Plan
Before we even attempt to answer the question “Why does God allow suffering?” it’s important to note that suffering was NOT part of God’s original plan.
When God created the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, and all the plants and animals, everything was perfect and flawless.
There was no sin, no suffering, no sickness, no shame…
This is why Genesis 1:31a reports: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
If Adam and Eve had simply accepted God’s plan and obeyed, their life would have been perfect too. Unfortunately, however, they decided to take matters into their own hands and do things their own way.
How silly to think that they knew more than the God of the entire universe, who created everything! But that’s what they did, and that’s what all of us do every day.
You see, when God created us, He also gave us free will.
Now, generally, we consider this to be a very good thing.
We aren’t mindless robots, forced to do God’s bidding. We have a choice in how we live our lives and who we follow.
Unfortunately, however, this means we can choose to turn our backs on God and His perfect plan for our lives. (to sin, basically)
And when we choose to sin, we naturally incur the consequences of this sin — both for ourselves and for others.
It happens all the time. We ALL sin every day.
And, whether we realize it or like it or not, this sin has consequences.
Because to take away all sin and all of it’s consequences would ALSO be to take away free will.
God Helps Us in Our Suffering
The good news is: God doesn’t just leave us in our sin and suffering.
Not only did He send His one and only son to take the eternal consequences for our sin, but He also provides a great deal of help and healing today — if we will turn to Him, repent of our sins, and choose to do things HIS way.
Just consider these promises of Scripture:
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” –2 Chronicles 7:14
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28-30
Sure, He may not heal you exactly the way you want when you want.
God is not a genie that grants 3 wishes or a magic vending machine in the sky.
But He DOES care, and He does offer healing to those who are willing to turn to Him and walk with Him.
Of course, this doesn’t mean the Christian life is always easy peasy.
John 16:33 warns us: “”I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””
Being a Christian in a non-Christian, broken world IS hard. It just is.
We should expect some degree of hurt and brokenness, just because of the world we live in.
But we can rest assured that if you’re wondering “Why does God allow suffering?” God DOES see you and He does care.
Unfortunately, this help doesn’t always come the way we want. In fact, sometimes our suffering comes from God Himself…
Does God Cause Suffering?
Yes, God does cause suffering.
Some people will tell you, “God doesn’t cause suffering — He just allows it.” And I used to believe the same.
But the more I’ve studied the Scriptures, the more I’ve found verse after verse that prove God does actually cause some of our suffering.
*Note: This does NOT mean God causes ALL suffering. Some suffering is just the inevitable result of sin and free will — People do have the free will to make decisions that hurt themselves and/or others. But there ARE times when God causes suffering as well.
For example:
“Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.” — Isaiah 53:10
“If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats.” — Exodus, 9:1-2
“When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.” — Jeremiah 14:12
“Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”” — Job 1:8
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” — Matthew 4:1
In all of these instances (and there are many, many more examples in the Bible), God did not turn a blind eye to the suffering people were already experiencing.
Rather, God caused the suffering.
And, of course, there are PLENTY of other times (both in the Bible and today) where God does/did not specifically cause human suffering, but only allows it to happen.
Which leaves the question: “WHY does God allow suffering??”
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
So whether God causes suffering or simply allows it — the question remains: Why??
While we may never know the WHOLE story on this side of Heaven, the Bible does give us a few possibilities:
1. God Created Us with Free Will; We Have the Ability to Reject God’s Plan
Like I mentioned above, as humans with free will, we have the ability to make our own choices–even when those choices cause harm to ourselves or to others.
For example, you could abuse drugs or alcohol. You could overeat for years. You could take your husband for granted or neglect to care for your children. All of these actions have consequences.
Alternately, someone else could do something to hurt you. Your parents or other family members might have caused you significant harm. You may have had a past friend or boyfriend betray you. Maybe someone raped you, shot you, beat you or abused you… or someone you love.
Someone else used their free will to choose sin, and now you’re paying the consequences.
It’s NOT fair. It’s not right. It will be made right on Judgement Day, and there are ways to minimize the damage going forward.
But unfortunately, it happens ALL the time.
2. God’s Ultimate Goal is Different Than Yours
Have you ever sat down to write out a life goal or mission statement for your life?
For most of us, if we were being honest, we would have to admit that our life goal is probably something along the lines of “To have a easy, happy, comfortable life for me and my family.”
And yet, if you ask God what HIS goal is for your life, I can PROMISE you it isn’t to make you “comfortable.”
What if God wants to use the very struggle you’re going through right now to draw you closer to Him, or to use you to reach others in need?
God allows your suffering because He sees something even better on the other side.
I think back to the times of my life when I’ve been the MOST hurt, and honestly… looking back… I wouldn’t trade a single one of them.
- The deep depression I faced in high school gave me greater understanding and compassion for others today.
- The bad break-up I went through in college made space for the wonderful marriage I have to my amazing husband today.
- The pain of childbirth brought me my three precious children.
- If I had gotten the teaching job I wanted, I wouldn’t be working in my dream job today.
NONE of these are things I would have asked for.
NONE of them are things I wanted.
And yet, now that I’m on the other side, I truly wouldn’t have it any other way.
Of course, these are just a few examples that I feel comfortable sharing. Your experiences are likely different, and may be way worse.
But if you’re not on the path you think you should be, it may be because God is STILL working on your story.
And that He’s leading you somewhere way better than you could have ever hoped for or imagined.
Related Video: Finding God Through the Grief of Losing a Child
3. God’s Perspective is Far Greater Than Yours
You have to remember, too, that God’s perspective is far greater than yours.
This is why Isaiah 55:8-9 says:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
And why, at the end of Job, God’s only “reason” to Job for his suffering is “Were you there when I created the world? Are you in charge? Do you know everything?”
The truth is, we don’t.
We can only see what’s right in front of us. (and not always that)
We don’t know what’s coming two years down the road. We don’t know what lessons we’ll need to know before then, or who or where we’ll need to be.
All too often, we only consider things only in the short term.
We think about how inconvenient, expensive, time-consuming or hurtful our lives or others’ actions can be.
But how often do we step back to see things from a bigger picture perspective?
How often do we stop asking “Why does God allow suffering?” and ask “God, how can I glorify You in this suffering?” instead?
Don’t believe for a second that right now is all there is or that thing will never get better.
Things always look dark when you’re in the middle of them.
When you get to the other side, you’ll realize God knew what He was doing all along.
You just don’t see it yet (and you may never).
For example, both my brother and two friends of mine died in car crashes in high school.
Why would God take them so young?
I honestly don’t know.
But it’s also not really my job to know.
I’m not God’s boss. He doesn’t report to me. I don’t really need to know.
You see, my preferences, wants and opinions will always be based on my own very limited view of this world. I know what I want, but I don’t really know or fully understand how the choices I make today will impact the world tomorrow–not really.
The truth is, we don’t know what big plans God has in store right around the corner for us and for others. Only God does.
So, given the choice between choosing everything myself–based on my very limited understanding of the world–and letting God choose–based on His infinite wisdom, God’s will is always going to be the best choice every. single. time.
We have to trust God even when we don’t understand.
After all, Moses didn’t know what God had up His sleeve when he was called to talk to Pharoah. Abram didn’t know what God had up His sleeve when he was called to sacrifice his son. But God did.
And God knows the plans He has for you too–even if He hasn’t showed you what they are yet.
4. God Corrects Us When We Sin
So this is a reason people don’t talk about nearly enough. And it isn’t always the reason, but it is definitely sometimes the reason.
And that is that: God loves us too much to let us continue in our sin.
In fact, you see this over and over and over and over again in the Old Testament.
The Israelites get complacent and stop following God. He warns them. They don’t listen. He punishes them. They all turn back to Him.
Honestly, so many books of the Old Testament are literally this SAME story on repeat.
So why would we think God doesn’t still do this today?
Of course, God’s punishments aren’t ALWAYS the result of our own personal sin.
In John 9, we read the story of a man born blind — through no fault of His own or His parents:
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
Sometimes it’s just “bad luck” or “just life.”
BUT sometimes, it absolutely is because we have sinned and brought consequences upon ourselves.
Which isn’t fun, but at least, if you can figure out that’s the problem, then you can repent and fix it.
So, if we are suffering, is it always one of these 4 reasons?
No, there are other reasons as well.
And chances are, we may never know the full reason.
But, if you’re wondering “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” one of these 4 reasons may just be the reason why…
Do you ever struggle with the question, “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” What additional answers have you come up with – if any?
I often struggle with this question. Thank you for answering in such an easy to understand manner!
I think a lot of people do! Hopefully this helped at least a little!
Your post is excellent, and I commend you. Religious leaders don’t even know how to answer that!
Your comments are harmonious with what I have learned from deep Bible study.
Well, thanks 🙂
If God is all knowing, why would he create Lucifer … so Lucifer create all these perfection into destruction? Please reply
He created Lucifer as an angel. It was Lucifer’s choice to turn evil. God did not create him to be evil. How he became evil, I don’t know, but it wasn’t God who caused it.
Brittany,
Thank you for your most sensible answers to one of life’s most desperate questions. I applaud your knowledge and wisdom of the scriptures.
We had a son born with a chromosomal disorder: Down Syndrome.
I’m quoting your wisdom here: “You see, my preferences, wants and opinions will always be based on my own very limited view of this world. . . The truth is, we don’t know what big plans God has in store right around the corner for us and for others. Only God does. . . God’s will is always going to be the best choice every. single. time. Even when we don’t understand it.”
Only God knows how much joy our Marvelous Mark brought to our family and to many others for 52 years. Downs people have the ability to love but lack the reasoning to hate. That single truth makes them as close to Jesus’s behavior and His example as I can imagine.
What a relief to know that your little girl is normal. God bless your sweet family.
To other families who are expecting a Downs angel to come into their lives, I want to say that the best is yet to come. Right now, you can’t imagine the wonderful places this little child will take you. Just give God time to prove it to you.
Bless you, Brittany.
Liz
I have heard wonderful things about children with Downs. It’s just so easy to worry about the unknown, isn’t it? Thanks for the encouragement
Amen, that’s all I can say
Oh how I grapple with this one so much… and I absolutely explain these reasons to many who ask, including me! You described the answers beautifully.
I struggle with the children and innocent people over seas… the war torn impoverished areas that wreak of death and despair. I just can’t imagine how much that breaks God’s heart. I can not even imagine the rage that must rock the Heavens…
If I feel so strongly about ti all, I can’t imagine how the almighty loving creator feels… I often want it to be DONE. Come on back Christ! Let’s DO THIS. 🙂
Yeah, damage to children is the worst. But what REALLY changed my perspective on that was a song called “Do Something.”
I don’t know why bad things happen to us,but I know GOD’S ways are not our ways and HIS thoughts are not our thoughts they are much higher and deeper and wiser. But I have to believe that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. GOD is a loving, merciful GOD and is always in the background changing what satan means for evil into good. It’s all about FAITH!
Amen
Thank you for this post. I have asked that a few times in my life. My dad passed away from cancer when I was 19. It was difficult to get through and understand why God would allow it to happen to a good person, he was also a Pastor. But God doesn’t make mistakes. Ever. He has a plan and it’s bigger than all of us. Thank you for the reminder.
Aww, I can’t even imagine! But fortunately or unfortunately, when faith is all we have, faith is all we need.
I was never much troubled about why God allows suffering, what is He supposed to do for example when someone kills another person? Just freeze the bullet in place or make the gun dissapeare?
What would be the point of free will if God would physicaly prevent us from doing anything but good. It would be like a puppet show.
What troubles me is free will and God’s plan. What does God’s plan really mean?
Because, if I lose my job and despare, but then find a better one I normally wouldn’t and things turn out for the best we can say: hey it was God’s plan!
But if it were His plan, wouldn’t that mean that He was interfering with my future employer’s free will so that he would hire me?
If we have free will, how can anything be His PLAN?
The only explanation that makes logical sense to me is that “God’s plan” means just that if we pray and search for answers in difficult times through prayer He will strengthen us and “inspire” us to do the right thing. But not that it’s literally a plan.
I don’t think His plan means that He has it all scripted out 100% and we don’t have a choice. Just that He has a general best way of doing things and that it is in our best interest to follow. Of course we don’t always, BUT He also knows exactly what we will choose to do, and takes that into account when making His plan in the first place.
That was something comforting to me too. I can’t throw off God’s plan because He already knew I would and He already has a back-up waiting for me. Not to say that we can’t forfeit His best–we can–but we can’t derail Him because He already knows.
Sara, I think that what C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity will help a lot. The whole book is powerfully insightful, but the third section has a chapter or two on prayer that might help illuminate this for you. Blessings to you.
Isaiah 46:8-10; Hebrews 1:2-3; II Peter 3:8-9 + 13
Oops! That was meant for someone else (how did that happen?) It’s a good reaf though, I recommend it for any Christian.
Sara, I think that what C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity will help a lot. The whole book is powerfully insightful, but the third section has a chapter or two on prayer that might help illuminate this for you. Blessings to you.
Isaiah 46:8-10; Hebrews 1:2-3; II Peter 3:8-9 + 13
wow good teachings God bless u
Thanks, Kevin!
During time in my life of suffering (I lost a parent & I was newly diagnosed with an auto-immune disease that put me in so much pain), it was not free will that comforted me. It was God’s absolute sovereignty in every situation that I clung to. He is so good and in control. I grew more in that time than most others in my life knowing that my suffering was from a loving God who was doing his refining work in my life. There is hope in trial! Cling to Jesus!
Exactly–If your suffering ultimately brings you closer to God–it’s not such a bad thing after all. It stinks at the time, but it all works out. Hope everything is well now!
Great post. Sin separates us from God. God loves us. Sin hurts us. But!!! When we turn from our sin and turn back to God, he will heal our land. Love your #2. We are not the point. God is.
Thanks, Starla! And the good news is, we can always turn back.
This is a sinful world filled with darkness. When the sin in the garden took place along came suffering. Thus the poor, suffering and evil came to be. God does not cause suffering.
As women of faith our priotity should be to Go and Tell as we are commanded. To teach our children to keep the home and love and pray for our spouse.
Salvation message is so vital to our role. If we are not telling others only Jesus saves from sin we are failing as a woman if faith.
Often we get distracted with recipes, diy, giveaways and blogging. May we never forget that only what is done for Christ will last.
Evil will always be in the world.
Telling others how to be saved from sin is priority.
Be blessed. JO
“M” Words and the Christian Woman
I agree, sharing the Gospel is the most important thing (hence the reason why I choose to blog about just that!). I don’t think it makes other things completely not important though. Sometimes it takes talking about recipes, diy, etc to create connections and open doors of communication. And that’s a good thing too. 🙂
Hi, what puzzles me is the random arbitrary nature of suffering. Some people we know lost their 5 year old son when a neighbour accidentally ran over the child on their drive way. I know there is evil in the world and the devil is constantly undermining efforts at peace and killing good people like Martin Luther King. But how is it that some people seem to have such horror befall them and others seem to escape it.
Okay, so I JUST listened to an awesome sermon by Francis Chan where he kind of addresses this question. He talks about Job and how, when Job questions, God said “Were you there when I created the world?? Who are you to question me??” Or in other words, He’s God, we’re not, and He knows what He’s doing, even if we can’t understand it right now. It’s not a satisfying answer at all, but I don’t think there really is one! (The roly poly example is fantastic too) Worth a listen.
Not a satisfying answer? Perfectly satisfying.
What else is there to expect from such tales and stories. It paints such an arrogant and merciless picture of a “loving god” when his precious son was enduring the intolerable.
Yes, it would be merciless if God sent His son to die for no reason — because He was just mean and wanted to cause him pain, but that’s not what happened. God allowed His son to suffer for our benefit. So that we wouldn’t have to. Because He loves each and every one of us so much.
God is our Heavenly Father, and just like a natural parent, he would never, in any way, do or cause any harm to His children purposely. When man fell in the garden of Eden, sin entered the world. It is the enemy, the devil who comes to kill, steal and destroy. Our Heavenly Father sent His only Son, Jesus to be the living sacrifice that defeated this enemy in EVERY WAY. Because of the work that Jesus did on the cross and in the pit of hell defeating Satan, we can use His Name, Jesus, to defeat the enemy. But we have to be constantly on our toes, daily being in the Word, daily praying, daily confessing the Word over our lives and those of our family, friends and the world.
We as Christians are first called to be His disciples and minister God to the world in our own realm where we live through our words and actions. Some He calls to reach a greater audience, but most of us are called to minister to those around us and those He leads to us. We are to pray for our children, our families, ourselves, our nation, our local community and for those in leadership. We are then to pray for anyone God lays on our heart to pray for.
We as Christians, and children of our Father, should respect and love Him enough that we NEVER allow blame to be put on Him for anything bad in this world. There are things we will not have answers for and maybe will receive the answer in Heaven. In that transforming moment I’m sure most of the questions we wonder about in life will no longer matter. We are called to be good stewards of the things God gives us, our children, their health and well-being should be our first concern. Our belongings should be well kept and maintained. Our jobs should be performed with integrity. These are the kinds of things that keep God’s umbrella of protection over us and keeps the enemy from having a foothold in our life. As far as other people in the case of the woman who ran over the child, I’m positive she did not do that on purpose, but maybe her not being timely, or having her life in order, or any little thing that she was not maintaining good stewardship over, opens the door for the enemy to use that situation to harm someone else. We are very much responsible for our walk with the Lord, and to blame our Heavenly Father because of something we take for granted or just let slack which is a totally human response we are all guilty of unfortunately is not a good enough reason to blame our Father who loves us more than we can even begin to imagine.
Great insights. Thanks 🙂
Sorry, this answer puts everything on earning God’s good grace, which can not be done. God found no fault with Job, but allowed the Devil to heap troubles, pain, and devastation on him to make him renounce God. Job voiced his pain and despair of his situation, and even asked for death, but did not renounce God. Works can make things better on a person to person basis, but does not influence God. The reason that bad things happen is because the Devil roams the world freely until Christ returns; that is the unsatisfying truth of the answer to the question.
When we say that satan roams the earth freely (meaning unbound in terms of revelation – this begins to deal with ammeleniasm, premelenianism, dispensationalism etc) we are saying that satan is free to do as he pleases; to causes diseases, deceiver nations etc?
If so, then that is to say that there is an equal authority to God currently on the earth and that God does not have control over satan now?
To me, that’s undermining the sovereignty of God. I am of the opinion that Satan was bound on the day of the cross and we are busy living in the end times I.e the millennial age.
God sent a mere angel to bound satan. This shows me that and quite obviously there is no equal authority to God. God created Lucipher and Lucipher then was a fallen angel who would the reason that sin enters the world.
This was Gods sovereign plan that we cannot question. Jesus was ALWAYS part of the plan. So therefore, had there been no sin in the world – then Jesus need not have come and died on the cross. Jesus was always plan A. This shows that the reason there is sin in the world is for God to display both His mercy as well as His justice at the same time.
Texts such as Romans 9 talks about God saying that He loved Jacob but He hated Essau.
That’s a rough word to think that God said that about someone who He created. The scary thing was, God said this BEFORE Jacob and Essau were born.
That just shows Gods absolute sovereignty and that He absolutely has a plan and there is NO WAY for us to influence that plan. He, just as indicated in Romans 9, has His plan prepared for us in advance. So thus pain, happiness, disease, good health and everything else is part of His plan.
God has the almighty ability to love and to not “love” at the same time. “I hated Essau”. Why? Because He is God and its displaying of His mercy on His chosen saved people and and its displaying his justice on the unsaved.
(This does not mean Christians and saved people won’t suffer)
I apologize for the lengthy comment. I don’t intend on attacking anyone either, not at all.
These are just the biblical sections I thought of as I read some comments.
Thank you guys for being so active on this blog – it’s refreshing to be reading about God and not all the negativity we currently face in this fallen world.
Bless you all
No, Satan doesn’t have free reign at all. You’re right about that. That’s why, in Job, he has to go to God to ask permission to cause Job harm. He does have some power over us–but it’s only the power we give him.
I wouldn’t say God has so much control that we have NO say though–we still have free will. There’s a difference between knowing in advance and causing. God knows everything that will happen, but that doesn’t mean he causes it all to happen. More like, He allows things to happen.
And thanks, we do have a great comment section here and I’m so proud of everyone for keeping it that way!
Ellen, I think you have misread both the article and the book of Job. The article indicates nothing about earning grace, but rather striving to live a life that produces spiritual growth (implicitly with the Holy Spirit’s power) so that we do not need correction through catastrophe or tragedy.
As for Job, Elihu (whom people tend to forget about, and is also the most likely author of the book) gave his speech for two reasons, one of which was that Job was convinced that God was causing Job to suffer unjustly (Job 31:3, 32:1-2, 34:5-6 & 9-10), practically accusing God of moral error. Elihu is also the only person whom God does not rebuke when He answers Job out of the whirlwind.
It is true that the Enemy seeks to ultimately wreck whatever happiness we have; but we wrecked and continue to damage and decompose God’s perfect creation with our own mistakes and evil desires. Sin is a death sentence on this universe, which is why God will take the redeemed into a new one. [See the book of II Peter, and also Rev. chs. 20-22]