You will be amazed at His answers!

For centuries people want to know if a loving God really exist why does He allow disasters, pain, suffering and trials.

Why do good people suffer while the wicked thrive?

God does not ignore these tough questions. Instead, He encourages these questions because He wants you to receive the answers directly from Him and not from any other source.

The Lord says, ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV)

You can ask God about anything that is troubling you and not just about your material needs.

So, go ahead! Ask God the tough questions!

Was it God’s intention for humans to suffer?

Let us take a look at Jesus’ response to a difficult question. He is our best example of how to respond to these difficult questions.

One day the Pharisees came to Jesus to test Him. So they asked Him a tough question.

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” (Matthew 19:3)

Jesus began His response to this question by asking a question.

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female…?” (Matthew 19:4).

To answer the question, Jesus referred the pharisees back to the beginning.

Therefore, to receive God’s answers to any difficult questions we must return to the beginning to find out the Creator’s choice.

Thus, to answer this ancient but popular question, “Why does God allow suffering?”, we need to ask the following question.

Was it God’s intention for humans to suffer in the beginning?

Let us return to the beginning.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

(Genesis 1:1-3 NKJV)

Do you notice what happened at the beginning of creation?

First, the earth was deformed, void, and in total darkness.

This darkness signifies evil.

If God had chosen to create humans and placed them on the earth that was riddled with wickedness and all manner of sins then most likely humans would be burdened with tremendous suffering and pain all the days of their lives.

But, God did not make this choice.

Instead, God removes the darkness with the light of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. This light reshaped the earth into perfection.

Secondly, God created the sun, moon, and stars to give humanity additional light to keep us away from the darkness.

Then the Lord created the atmosphere, the waters, seas, dry land and plants. God created everything to give humanity a long and productive life on earth free from diseases and evil.

Finally, on the sixth day, God created man in His image and likeness. In addition, He breathed into man’s nostril His Spirit which gave him life.

God created humanity tremendously blessed. It is not the will of the Lord that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9).

Therefore, in the beginning it was never God’s intention for His people to suffer.

Man was given a choice when God placed him on earth.

The choice was between good and evil.

Man chose evil because he wanted to be like gods (Genesis 3).

This fateful choice corrupted the entire earth.

The darkness of evil spread across the earth and affected it both physically and spiritually.

Consequently, the ground became a curse producing thorns and thistles, and humanity was forced to toil the ground to eat bread.

The animals were cursed thus becoming vicious and wild, and humanity was subjected to pain and suffering (Genesis 3).

In the beginning, God did not allow suffering of any kind. The choice that humanity made resulted in pain and suffering which have passed on from one generation to the next.

But God had a solution!

The Solution

The solution was mercy and grace!

Removing the tree of life from the grasp of man was an act of mercy from God because he was given a specific life span so that he would not live forever on this sin-cursed earth filled with pain and suffering.

Furthermore, God showed humanity grace and love when He sent His only begotten Son into this sinful world to be the ultimate sacrifice for sin and suffering (John 3:16).

The Son of God, Jesus Christ, suffered and died to save humanity from sins and He rose triumphantly to give humanity eternal life free from sin.

But, humanity still has a choice to either select a life free from the sins of this world through the Lord Jesus Christ or to remain in this sinful world and suffer the consequences.

Which choice will you make?

Selecting Jesus as your Savior does not automatically remove you from this earth that is corrupted with the darkness of evil.

Hence, as long as you live on this earth you will still experience suffering and trials.

But God has provided a way of escape for His people. This way is also called His secret place or sanctuary.

The way of escape

1. The Lord promised deliverance from afflictions

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

(Psalms 34:19 NKJV)

2. You will not be destroyed

The devil send afflictions and trials to steal, kill and destroy but the Lord promised to protect you and and you will not be destroyed.

He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.

(Psalms 34:10 NKJV)

3. A place of refuge

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

(Psalms 91:1-2)

4. You will rise again

For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.

(Proverbs 24:16 NKJV)

Whatever the devil “conspires against the Lord? The Lord will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.” (Nahum 1:9)

5. Your suffering will not last

The night will not last because weeping and wailing endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5).

6. Good will be birth from your suffering

God will turn your afflictions and suffering into something good. Indeed you will receive blessings amid trials.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery because they hated him. As a result, Joseph endured tremendous trials but God eventually delivered him.

Joseph had a high position in Egypt when he revealed himself to his brothers but He did not seek vengeance but assured his brothers, “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5 NKJV)

Joseph’s brothers intention was evil but God turned their evil deeds into something good.

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

(Genesis 50:19-20 NKJV)

The trials of a few can cause many more lives to be saved. For example, the suffering and trials of Jesus saved the entire world.

7. Trials and sufferings are tests

 They are tests to give us patience and humility. During trials we need to exercise these two virtues to speed up your deliverance.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

(James 1:2-4 NKJV)

What are some of the tough questions that you want to ask God?

Lord, I pray that we will have enough courage to ask you anything that is troubling us.

I pray that we will trust you through the difficult times knowing that you love and care for us. In Jesus name, Amen!