Why Does God Allow Suffering? Thyme4Faith

A key question people have in the area of faith, is why does God allow suffering? Join me for this latest Thyme4Faith Tpost for a new perspective. Please Share this message to encourage others.

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Many people find it difficult to understand why a loving God allows so much suffering to exist in this world. Are you experiencing struggles on a personal level, like the ALS battle we face?  Or perhaps you feel the suffering of the world around you – Jacob Wetterling’s murder, the countless terrorist attacks, the plight of refugees from war torn countries, the list goes on and on.

This type of questioning is common. In fact, a friend of mine recently admitted she doesn’t believe in God because of the suffering He allows. The perspective I would like to share, is that your faith should not be driven by the level of evil in the world. Instead, your faith should be based on the spiritual truth that no level of evil or suffering can separate you from the love of God.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword? – Romans 8:35

You Can Not Be Separated from God’s Love

How is this relevant? If you base your view of God’s love on your circumstances, you are always going to struggle. God promises we will never be separated from His love, He does not promise that we will never face hardship or suffering.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

Love Overcomes Suffering

Because people have free will, we live in a broken world. It is our free will that leads to sin and the world’s suffering, not what God allows or doesn’t allow. Sin is not a popular concept. If you want to clear a room at a cocktail party, strike up a conversation about sin! While we don’t want to talk about or face sin, it doesn’t make it any less real.

Yet even though God is not responsible for the world’s suffering, He does not abandon us. Just as we would not abandon our own children if they messed up. This is because He is a loving Father. In His love and mercy, our Father does something so mind blowing, that many people fail to understand its significance. Instead of punishing us, he sends His only son, Jesus, to endure our punishment by dying on the cross. This ultimate sacrifice forgives all sin – past, present and future. Love and forgiveness overcomes sin and suffering!

Father’s Love Letter & Additional Resource

I highly encourage you to watch this video called Father’s Love Letter. It is a compilation of verses that expresses how precious you are to God and his love for you. Steeping in His love will strengthen you for the difficulties you WILL face in life.

If you are seeking answers to other difficult faith-related questions and want to go deeper, check out Letters from a Skeptic. This book written by Greg Boyd to his father, takes on many other challenging questions of faith.

I pray that this Thyme4faith post provided you with a new perspective and blesses you on your faith journey.