In a world marred by headlines of mass shootings, devastating natural disasters, and personal tragedies, the question of why a sovereign God allows suffering becomes not just theological debate but a deeply personal cry. It’s a question that echoes through history, across cultures, and within the hearts of individuals grappling with pain. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why doesn’t He prevent the immense suffering we witness and experience?
This question isn’t new. Even the Bible, in the book of Job, grapples with the inexplicable nature of suffering. Job, a righteous man, endured unimaginable loss – his wealth, his children, and his health – yet he remained faithful. His story, and others throughout scripture, offer glimpses into understanding God’s perspective on suffering, not as a simple answer, but as a complex reality interwoven with faith, free will, and God’s ultimate plan.
Alt text: Survivors of the MGM Grand Hotel fire in Las Vegas in 1980 being sheltered in a convention center, highlighting the sudden and unexpected nature of tragedy.
The Mystery of Suffering: Beyond Human Understanding
Suffering often feels shrouded in mystery. We seek explanations, reasons, a logical framework to understand why pain exists. The Bible itself acknowledges this mystery. 1 Timothy 3:16 speaks of “the mystery of godliness,” suggesting that God’s ways are often beyond our complete comprehension. When faced with tragedies, like the MGM Grand Hotel fire mentioned by Billy Graham, we may echo his sentiment: “There’s a mystery to tragedies like this. We don’t know the answer. And we may never know until God explains all things to us.”
This mystery doesn’t imply a lack of answers, but rather a limitation in our human capacity to fully grasp the divine perspective. Just as there are mysteries in God’s creation of the earth and humanity, the allowance of suffering remains partly veiled in divine wisdom. However, God hasn’t left us completely in the dark. He has revealed truths through the Bible and, most profoundly, through His Son, Jesus Christ, offering guidance and comfort amidst the unknown.
Sin, Rebellion, and the Broken World
The Bible presents a clear narrative: suffering is intrinsically linked to sin and the rebellion of humanity against God. God created a perfect world, free from pain and death. However, humanity, exercising its free will, chose to disobey God, declaring, in essence, “I don’t need You, God. I can build my world without You.” This act of rebellion, often referred to as the Fall, had profound consequences, introducing sin, suffering, and death into the world.
As Romans 5:12 explains, “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” This verse highlights the ripple effect of sin, extending beyond individual actions to affect the entire created order. Therefore, the afflictions, diseases, natural disasters, and even death itself that we witness are, in a broad sense, consequences of humanity’s original departure from God’s design. Satan, identified as “the author of sin,” further perpetuates this brokenness.
However, this understanding doesn’t imply that every individual suffering is a direct punishment for personal sin. As the book of Job illustrates, righteous individuals can also experience profound suffering. Rather, it points to the systemic impact of sin on the world, creating an environment where suffering is a pervasive reality.
Messages Embedded in Suffering: Compassion, Unity, and Comfort
While the origin of suffering lies in the brokenness of the world due to sin, God can and does use suffering to communicate profound messages. Billy Graham highlights three key messages found within suffering: compassion, unity, and comfort.
Compassion: Suffering often awakens our sense of compassion for others. Witnessing or experiencing hardship can break down barriers and foster empathy. As Jesus exemplified in Matthew 25:35-36, caring for the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, and imprisoned is a direct response to recognizing shared human vulnerability. The outpouring of support after the MGM Grand fire, with emergency crews, volunteers, and ordinary people offering aid, demonstrates compassion in action, born from the shared recognition of suffering.
Unity: Adversity can also forge unity. Just as Jacob and Esau, estranged brothers, reconciled at their father Isaac’s death, suffering can bring together individuals and communities. In the Christian context, Jesus prayed for unity among believers (John 17:21). Shared suffering can highlight our common humanity and our need for each other, fostering a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood within the family of God and beyond.
Comfort: Perhaps paradoxically, suffering can also be a source of comfort, both received and given. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 describes God as “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Experiencing God’s comfort during our own trials equips us to offer genuine comfort to others facing similar pain. This creates a cycle of support and empathy, strengthening the fabric of human connection.
Alt text: People receiving assistance and comfort from aid workers after a natural disaster, illustrating the message of compassion and unity in times of suffering.
Refining Faith and Drawing Closer to God: Purpose in Pain
Beyond these messages, suffering can also serve a deeper purpose in refining our faith and drawing us closer to God. Just as a refiner’s fire purifies precious metals, trials can purify our faith, stripping away superficiality and strengthening our reliance on God. James 1:2-4 encourages believers to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Suffering can shatter our illusions of self-sufficiency, forcing us to confront our vulnerability and dependence on God. In moments of pain, we are often driven to prayer, to seek God’s guidance and strength. This process of surrender and seeking can deepen our relationship with God, fostering a more intimate and authentic faith. While we may not understand the “why” of every suffering, we can trust that God can use even painful experiences to shape us into who He desires us to be.
The Christian Response: Worship, Learning, Glorifying God, and Patience
Faced with suffering, the Christian response is multifaceted. Billy Graham outlines several key aspects:
Worship: Even in the midst of pain, our first response should be worship. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty and greatness, even when we don’t understand our circumstances, is an act of faith. As Job declared, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him” (Job 13:15). Worship in suffering affirms our trust in God’s character, even when life is difficult.
Learning: Suffering can be a profound teacher. We should ask God to reveal what He wants us to learn through our trials – about Himself, about ourselves, about others, and about how to minister to those who are hurting. Every experience, even painful ones, can offer opportunities for growth and deeper understanding.
Glorifying God: Our attitude in suffering can be a powerful witness to the world. When we respond to pain with faith, hope, and love, it can point others to the reality of Christ in our lives. As 1 Peter 4:16 states, “yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” Our resilience and peace amidst trials can be a compelling testimony.
Patience: Patience is perhaps the most challenging response to suffering. Waiting on God, trusting in His timing, and persevering through pain requires immense faith. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of patience (Romans 12:12, Hebrews 6:12). Asking God for patience and resisting bitterness are crucial aspects of navigating suffering with a Christ-like spirit.
Hope and Redemption in Christ: The Ultimate Answer
Ultimately, the Christian answer to the question of why God allows suffering is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christ Himself, though innocent, endured unimaginable suffering on the cross. He experienced betrayal, abandonment, torture, and death. In doing so, He entered into our suffering, identifying with our pain and offering redemption.
Christ’s resurrection is the ultimate triumph over suffering and death. It provides hope that suffering is not the final word. Because of Christ, suffering can be redeemed, transformed, and used for God’s glory. As Romans 8:28 assures us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
While the question of why God allows suffering may never be fully answered to our human satisfaction, faith in Jesus Christ provides a framework for navigating pain with hope, purpose, and the assurance of God’s unwavering love. He sees our suffering, He cares, and He offers a path through pain to ultimate healing and eternal life.
Are you prepared to meet God amidst the uncertainties of life? God has taken the initiative, offering His Son Jesus Christ as a rescue. Respond to His love, receive Christ into your heart, and find peace with God, regardless of what the future holds. Discover how to find peace with God today.
Adapted from: “Suffering: Why Does God Allow It?” by Billy Graham, Decision magazine, August–September 1981.
Scripture Reference: New King James Version.
