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?
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author and founder of Equipping Godly Women and Monetize My Ministry. She’s also a Christian speaker, podcaster, and conference host. Her work has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online ministries, including CBN, MSN, Christianity Today, Evangelical Alliance, Patheos, Crosswalk, and more.
Wow, very direct and to the point and exactly what I need to hear-can’t hear it often enough and said so truthfully and plainly. Thank you, God Bless you and your family
Thanks. Hope it helped! 🙂
I appreciate you trying to address a question that has been the main obstacle in my search for God. Unfortunately – the answers,once again, do not address the core contradictions. If you believe God has a plan – then you have to accept the horrors of the world as part of that plan (children living in slavery, sold as sex workers, etc, etc -the list is too long to even go on here). You have to accept that God wants these things to happen. Many of these victims pray constantly for help – only to be ignored.
The alternative (and the answer that has brought me the closest to faith so far) is alluded to in your article – that God gave is free will. And thus the evil in the world is ours – as well as the good. BUT…if that is the case – then it is contradictory to say God has a plan or even to expect prayer to be anything other than inspirational. To think God may answer YOUR prayers while ignoring the prayers of millions of innocent children is beyond reconciling with a fair and just God. He could not play favorites in such a way and still be seen as a fair and loving God. I can embrace the “free will” concept – but I have not found a religious leader yet who was willing to say – that once God gave us free will (the greatest gift to be sure) – that he also bestowed upon us the responsibility. That we cannot expect (or even call upon) Him to act or intervene on our behalf.
Free Will – answers the question about suffering and evil in the world, but forces believers to accept responsibility for change. It also takes away the concept that someone is watching over you and is capable of lending a hand if in need.
Master Plan – Provides comfort in knowing that some things are out of your control and that there is higher spirit to which you can appeal to direct you and act on your behalf (or that of others) if you just follow His teachings and believe.
After 20 years of searching for a way to reconcile the two – I have not found it possible. The search continues.
Actually, I don’t think that just because God has a plan means that He causes bad things to happen. For example, I have a plan for today. It involves trying to potty train my 2yo, clean the house and get some writing done. I know my 2yo is going to have plenty of accidents today. That doesn’t mean I want them to happen or am causing them to happen. I just know about it. And because I know about it, I can plan *around* it, to minimize the damage.
I think it’s the same thing with God. He made a perfect plan. He knew we would mess it up, but He didn’t *cause* us to mess it up. And when we did, he was ready with a back-up plan, so to speak, to make the best of the mess that we’d made.
And I also don’t think God’s plan has to include every tiny miniscule little detail of our lives. Again, He knows about them. But I think of His plan as more of a general, overarching theme that He is working to achieve through everything. And when we mess up, He uses what He has (so to speak) and works our mess into the plan for the eventual good of everyone.
Does that make sense?
Your explaination is almost the same as the Jehovah’s witnesses about why God permits wickedness
Interesting. I’m not super familiar with everything Jehovah’s witnesses believe, but I do know that there are a good number of similarities in some areas (though certainly not all).
Please go to the JW.org website if you want to really get the full picture and complete answer to this question! Great website!
Being a christian I have heard all those answers before. It STILL makes NO SENSE to me whatsoever. I have YET to find PURPOSE for all the suffering in this world. I mean….WHY would ANYONE want to come here and live on this earth to suffer. There is so much more pain and suffering than actual “joy”. I have lost a son to suicide….banned from my his kids…MY grandchildren….Have a life that is turned upside down over it all. My mind is NOT what it was and probably never will be. Focus is GONE, and Anxiety has taken over..and I KNOW I am a pea in a sea of millions of people that suffer MORE than I am now and probaby every will. Does that make me “thankful” to know that? It does not make it easier…instead creates only MORE questions.
I DO count my blessings…the health of my hubby, me and other children I have….HOWEVER, we ALL live with eternal PAIN from the past. I saw a post from a support group I belong to…and his question was “What is HAPPINESS” in one word….?? Good question..I have YET to be able to come up with a 1 word answer.
There will ALWAYS be “someone else” that is suffering more than “you”. Period end. LIFE SUCKS THE VERY “LIFE” out of you.
Am I “believer”. ABSOLUTELY…But man oh man will I look forward to a sit down with our maker when I get there
I am so sorry to hear that you’ve been through so much. I agree, there is no one good answer. If your read the book of Job, after Job asks God
“Why?” God doesn’t give him an answer, He just says “Who are you to question me? Were you around when I made the world?” Not really a good answer, but basically, we just have to trust for now.
I actually have another post that might be more helpful for you:
When God Says Wait
And a “PS” to my previous post. “IF” God wanted to stop all the pain and suffering HE CERTAINLY COULD.
Because the question is important:
Hypothetical: “IF a Navy SEAL wanted to stop a police officer from shooting at someone, he certainly could.”
Hardly debatable. Superior ability, superior conditioning.
But that would hardly be consistent with the kind of person a Navy SEAL or other spec-ops operative is.
My argument is that God intervening in the affairs of his creation is not, as it is easy to believe, a matter of mere power. It is a matter of character. We need look no further than the sufferings of Christ himself to grasp this. Luke 22:42. God didn’t simply -allow- Jesus to suffer; he -=WILLED=- it. I don’t think anyone can quite grapple with that. Here is a moment where God’s attributes; his Holiness, Mercy, Compassion, Love, Justice, Righteousness, Tenderness – flow in ways we cannot fully understand. If it affected Jesus so intensely in his humanity (v. 44), we can only guess how it affected the Father in his divinity.
Your anger and anguish are understandable and natural, and in my opinion not at all wrong. To be angry at God is hardly new to him. There is no emotion we experience that is foreign to him, because as believers he knows all we have ever known or will know. He experiences our future before we do, for he is already there. He is with us in everything – whether we feel or remember him or not. To tell God He does not meet our standards means nothing to him. To tell Him He does not meet his own standard is everything – it is exactly what he called out Job for doing.
Suffering is not simply about ‘more’ or ‘less’ – each of us suffers differently, uniquely, and God is with us in all of it.
“Christ died, not that men might not suffer, but that our sufferings might be like his.”
In the tenderest Grace;
H.T.
hey, this is all well and good, but how about the FREE WILL of the victims? would they choose to die or suffer as a result of the free will of others? is it all more ‘entertaining’ to heaven , that we are not robots without free will…all the drama must make for sizzling viewing?
Well, they have the free will to decide how they will respond to the situation–to grow bitter because of it or to thrive and grow stronger because of it. So that’s something.
“The last freedom of man is his ability to choose his own attitude amidst his cirvcmstances.” Viktor Frankl
THAT is a man who knew suffering. And went on to study it.
I have definitely struggled with all of these questions, and it has challenged my faith, made me angry at God at times, even made me struggle to believe at all. It has been helpful to read through these conversations to help me move forward, out of the mire of my own thoughts. I think the biggest things that I have taken from these conversations are: 1. We may not be able to come up with an acceptable answer to why innocent people suffer and are not rescued when they pray to God for help. The three explanations Brittney provided are helpful and can explain our suffering in certain situations, but not in every one. 2. Our outrage at these injustices in the world should motivate us to action. We must be the answer to people’s prayers. God has given the world us; we are here to help make things right to the extent of our abilities. In doing so, we find God’s purpose for our lives – His overarching plan for justice and mercy will be accomplished ultimately in the end because of his power and love (He will make all things right in the end), but until the end of the world He calls us to participate accomplish His purposes in the world. Why does He do this? To transform lives – we become more Christlike as we reach out to help others at the same time those whom we help will have better lives as a result of our choice to follow God’s desire for us to help them. I believe Satan uses our anger over the suffering of the world to stifle our actions; we become so stuck in our thoughts – our outrage over how God can let these things happen to us and to others – that we become angry with God and choose not to do anything about it. We can let ourselves fall out of love with God over this issue and stop going to church, start hating people instead of loving everyone. (We must choose to hate their sin, not them as people.) God has given us gifts – our brains, our resources, our talents, etc. and we must allow our response to the suffering of the world to be running toward those who are suffering and using our gifts to help them. Like Brittney said in one of her responses: “We may not be able to fully escape suffering on this side of Heaven, but we can make the most of the life we do have!” I say, “Amen” to that, and simultaneously utter a prayer for forgiveness for my past failures in being a part of God’s plan here on earth – choosing to pout in the corner, believing that God is not just and life is not fair. I know that when I choose to help those in need, I will find God there. (Our ultimate salvation does not come from this – for we can never do enough works to earn our salvation – but through good works, we become more Christ-like.) We begin to see others lives transformed and our lives become transformed as well. Relational Agape love both in relationship to God and with each other is why we were created. Let us all be inspired toward making the world a better place – one life at a time – in response to our outrage over suffering in the world, and in response to our knowledge of God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness and love, demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ.
Yes!! Love that perspective!!
Happy holidays! I think this is a very well written piece. I read several points that I haven’t thought about or discovered.
I would just like to add a scripture that I believe is another reason why we are allowed to suffer.
“For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory we must also share his suffering” – Romans 8:16 & 17
So, we suffer because Christ suffered. We are His heirs right down to being made in His image. And we are supposed to joy while in the midst of tribulation because He is closest to us in those times.
Furthermore, God’s Power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor. 12:10)
Thanks for all the info.
Well, that’s not a very happy reason! But it is one I didn’t think of before… thanks for sharing!
“For His spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share in His glory we must also share his suffering” – Romans 8:16 & 17.
Very well written piece. Just thought I’d share that scripture. We are heirs right down to being in His image.
Furthermore, we are to rejoice in tribulations for they bring us closer to God…..His Power and Grace are made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9 &10)
Thank you and Merry CHRISTmas!!