One of the most common reasons people say they do not believe in God is the existence of suffering. I recently read a comment by an atheist who said, “All you have to do is walk into any children’s hospital and you know there is no God. Prayer doesn’t make any difference. Those people pray for their beloved children to live, and they die.” Admittedly, this topic is a source of struggle across every belief system. How many times have we cried out to God when tragedy strikes?
These moments may cause both believers and non-believers alike to wrestle with their faith. For God to allow suffering supposedly implies that He is not a loving God, or if He is a loving God, He somehow lacks the power to eliminate it. These thoughts about suffering are reminiscent of an argument the philosopher Epicurus posed long ago, summarized as the following:
If God is all-powerful, He could do something to prevent or end suffering.
If God is all-loving, He would want to prevent or end suffering.
There is a tremendous amount of suffering in the world.
Therefore, God either is not all-loving or not all-powerful.
Is this an insurmountable problem for the Christian? Do those who doubt God like Epicurus have valid points? To answer these questions, it is essential to understand the fact that God is love (1 John 4:8), and His love allows freedom of choice. God did not create humans to act as puppets or robots. We have free moral agency and can make our own decisions. The truth is, there are many logical reasons why people experience mental and physical suffering in life:
Mankind often suffers because of poor decisions. When we suffer the consequences of our own wrong choices, there is a need for personal accountability. This suffering can be beneficial, for example in the growth and maturity of a child. While growing up as children, we learn what things to avoid because they cause discomfort, such as a cactus or hot concrete on bare feet. If there were no consequences to our mistakes, would we learn as well?
Mankind may suffer because of the wrong choices of others. In 2 Samuel 11, we find the story of the husband of Bathsheba dying because of King David’s sin. Today, innocent children are adversely affected when a parent commits crimes and is imprisoned.
Mankind often suffers when the laws of nature are misunderstood or ignored. Laws like gravity and thermodynamics set in motion by God’s creation are a great benefit to society when understood but may cause catastrophic pain and suffering if ignored. In Luke 13:4-5, we read of eighteen men who died when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them. Jesus said they were no worse sinners than their peers but died because a natural law was in force. Fortunately, natural laws work continually so that we can understand and benefit from them. God does not step in and violate the laws He established to prevent suffering, so we don’t have a haphazard system that works one day but not the next.
Mankind also suffers because of natural disasters. Often called “acts of God,” these are due to the sinful world of Noah’s day. God originally called His creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Disease, pestilence, and human death were unknown. Man lived in a perfect paradise in a covenant relationship with God. However, that blissful relationship was short lived because of Adam and Eve’s sin. God cursed the earth (Genesis 3:17), which ultimately became so full of evil that God destroyed it with the Flood (Genesis 6-8). It is not unreasonable to suggest, knowing the changes caused by local floods witnessed in our own lifetime, that the global Flood not only radically altered the face of the Earth, but simultaneously produced circumstances that are responsible for the many natural disasters experienced since that time. Sin robbed us of our original garden paradise and was responsible for the global Flood. This was a consequence caused by mankind’s choice to sin; God is not to blame.
Christians may suffer when obeying God. James 1:2 says that we should count it all joy when we face trials and persecutions, not because we are masochistic, but because we grow spiritually when we overcome them. While we can understand that suffering is painful, there is an opportunity to grow through the discomfort. Often a person’s character is revealed when they are faced with suffering. Would they learn patience, bravery, self-sacrifice, etc., if not instigated by some type of suffering?
There are times when suffering is beneficial. The pain from a hot burner prevents further damage to the hand of a child. A man’s chest and arm throb when a heart attack is near. Millions of people were potentially saved from COVID-19 death when early symptoms appeared in time to seek medical help. It can be a moment of discomfort that signals us to make a change.
Suffering humbles us and may draw our hearts toward God. When one is in anguish and despairs, the natural inclination is to turn toward a higher source for help. Suffering often helps us understand the true value of things. A near-death experience can result in someone realizing what once seemed important now isn’t. Suffering may also help us empathize with others. Jesus could not be the empathetic High Priest that He is today had He not experienced what we face. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)
Got questions? We’d love to study with you! You are invited to worship at 11am every Sunday, and to Bible study at 10am on Sundays and 6:30 pm on Wednesdays.
Buz Turk
Blanco Hills Church of Christ
blancohillschurch.com
830-554-0701