Why does God allow suffering?

This is a big question, a very popular one that is asked by Non-Christians; and my answer is going to be considerably shorter than you probably anticipated.

Why does God allow suffering?

I mean, he tells me to love him, trust him and give my life to him, and yet I see so many terrible things happen in the world... so much suffering, where is God among that? How can I trust him?

 Well, first off, are you telling me that God should dispose of all suffering?

If the answer to that question is yes, then you're saying that God should get rid of you and me, and everyone else on the planet. We have all, at some point in our lives, caused someone else to suffer. We are not perfect. And if God should stop any and all suffering from happening, then there isn't much of a future for the rest of mankind. In fact, we would be the first thing to go.

God does not cause suffering. Suffering is a consequence of the world that we live in. God hates seeing us suffer; remember, that he loves us more than anyone else ever will. However, he can use suffering to bring us future joy and hope, and often, to bring us back to a stronger, more dependent relationship with him.

God gave humanity an amazing gift, and that is our free will. We all have it, but a lot of us don't use it wisely. Free will can be both dangerous and beautiful, but God knows that we need it. He wants us to choose to have a relationship with him, our choice to follow him shows our love for him and allows him to move in our lives. If we had no free will, then God would have many followers, but we would all be mindless robots - with no opinions or individuality. God made us for more than that.

The poem below is very well-known, and the most amazing promise from God during our times of suffering.


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