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If God loves us so much, why does He let us suffer?

Proverbs 29:18 states, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” As awful as some people’s experiences are, we must remember that we are alive, we know how to love, and we have a wealth of experience that may someday be used to assist others. The sun comes up every day emphatically showing us that there is renewal and that night does not last forever.  

Similarly, this past 6,000 years since sin entered into the world comprises most of the limited amount of time when evil will be permitted in this world. The Scriptures promise us that there will come a day when sin will not be allowed to occur ever again. Its only purpose for being allowed was so that all of mankind will grow to hate the exceeding sinfulness of sin.  

God made us in His image, meaning we have free will, as He does not want robots, but rather, beings who can choose right and love Him and each other. Therefore, once the first sin occurred due to lack of experience in seeing its effects, God allowed man enough experience with free will to thoroughly hate evil in hopes that all will choose to be helped to learn righteousness in the kingdom when all will be resurrected from death with opportunity to live forever on the eventually perfected earth. 

Those that do not choose to learn righteousness after receiving very much assistance in doing so will simply go to the sleep of death a second and final time, since they would not be able to safely live forever with the rest of mankind that does choose to live an everlasting life of unselfishness and love for all. God takes no pleasure in any person’s pain or death, and is not the cause of our pain (see Ezekiel 33:11). For the time being, God causes the sun to rise on both the righteous and the unrighteous (see Matthew 5:45).  Eventually all on the earth will be righteous.

Isaiah 11:9 states regarding the kingdom,

“They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9 

While it may be difficult to grasp right now, there will be a day when no one will be allowed to harm anyone and all will have the opportunity for a loving relationship with their Creator.

Revelation 21:4 teaches of the coming kingdom, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  

Isaiah 51:11 promises, “Those the LORD has rescued will return.  They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Yes, everyone will have that opportunity to be overtaken by joy!  

Although mankind suffers unjustly now, it will end. Prior to it ending, even God’s son Jesus was not at all spared the pain and cruelty of sin. He willingly offered to die as the ransom price to satisfy justice for Adam’s sin and all of mankind’s sin as we are Adam’s progeny.  

Luke 22:63-65 reads, “The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him…blindfolded him…said…insulting things to him.”  

Then he was nailed to a cross and died by hanging.  

Many Christians died unjustly for their beliefs. Many people die in wars, at birth, by murder, illness, plane crashes, car accidents, etc. One day the individuals who killed Jesus will weep over what they have done to their Savior. One day those that have hurt us will also have opportunity to repent. One day, when all are resurrected, those that have ever harmed anyone will recall it and have the opportunity to repent.  

God loves us all. Just like a good parent, God is loving us by allowing (not causing) a hard experience for all of us as humans. Loving us right now is the cause for Him allowing us to see what it is like to exercise free will without following His righteous ways.

Unfortunately, in addition to suffering from the degrading effects of sin on our bodies (through aging, disease, etc.) many of us end up suffering at the hand of others in many ways. We can choose to try to respond without allowing it to destroy us.   We can move on and try our best to use our experiences in a positive way and to be a light for others who will be inspired by our overcoming adversity to go on to try to live a right life in whatever circumstance we are in. There is most definitely hope in the long run for all of us.

The Scriptures, which have survived thousands of years despite strenuous efforts to eradicate the Bible, are still here for a reason and to state the reasons for hope and all the promises of an end to sin and eventual everlasting life and joy for all people who choose it.  

As for rapes, beatings, murders, and all evil, none of it is right and all of it will have consequences, but not necessarily all of it in this lifetime. 

In Deuteronomy 32:35, God warns, “Vengeance is mine, and recompense…”  

In the kingdom, all will have opportunity to repent and be educated in justice, and no more injustice will be tolerated as the permission of sin will eventually be ended. Satan, the original liar, having lied to Eve in the garden by telling her she would not die for sinning, encourages sin and will be removed.   

God is Almighty. His plan will work in the end and sin, suffering and death are temporary.  

Just as we don’t judge a piece of art before it is finished when there are still ugly, unfinished parts, we cannot judge God’s eternal divine plan by this comparatively short time of the permission of evil.  The Scriptures tell us a day with God is as a thousand years because it is true (see 2 Peter 3:8). He is able to wait thousands of years to allow billions to be born to fill the earth as He originally planned, allowing them time to learn to hate sin and love justice so that they will be able to live forever. His ways and thoughts are far higher than ours (see Isaiah 55:8,9).  

We praise and worship Him because, as bad as many of our experiences are at times, life is a gift, He made us by choice, and His ultimate goal is for all of us to know Him, realize He does love us, and live forever under His righteous government.  

God does not lie (Numbers 23:19). Isaiah 55:11 tells us God’s word will be done. God is not cruel; He is Love. Love sometimes means being hands off until the due time to resolve a problem for the purpose of an unforgettable lesson. 

Bad things currently happen to both “good” and “bad” people.  If you are currently in an unsafe or life-threatening situation,  seek local help to get out of that unsafe situation.  If many of the problems are in your past and you are currently unhappy and feeling empty, we would suggest you tell God of your sadness and begin to find hope. You are not alone.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 

To learn more about why God allows suffering listen to, “Is it God’s Fault We Have Evil in This World?”

 “Am I Being Punished or Favored?”

“Does God REALLY Want Me to Suffer?”