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why does God allow suffering?
When you're going through a time of personal suffering or grief, it is easy to criticize those attempting to provide a "reason why." You think, "what does this bozo know about my pain?" It's quite natural to feel that way. So if you're currently facing times of turmoil you may not wish to read the following material, or you might do so with a negative, defensive attitude. But before you dismiss it, please consider that I too have faced my share of grief. My experiences may have been quite different from yours, but the anguish was probably very similar.
This article comes from a variety of sources, including notes taken during sermons, material provided by pastors and others in Christian ministry, and from personal reflection on God's Word. We need a Biblical prospective as to the reasons for suffering. We can never know all the answers but we can know some.
What are some of the reasons why God allows suffering?
So that we can comfort others.
See II Corinthians 1:4. Going through difficult times sensitizes us to be able to identify and relate to people. How in the world could any human being ever have compassion for another unless they too have felt the pain of grief or suffering in some form?
So that we won’t rely and trust in ourselves.
See II Corinthians 1:9. Trials knock us off our proud pedestals and get us relying on God. When things are going well we tend to get less spiritual as the excitement of physical life takes over from spiritual things. Trials have a habit of changing that dependence on ourselves.
That we may give thanks in everything.
See II Corinthians 1:11, I Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 5:20. Problems give us a chance to praise God even when it is hard. The more difficult the circumstances, the more we honor God when we genuinely praise Him through the experience.
Produces more fruit.
See John 15:2. When we are going through personal struggles, the soil of our life is more prepared to grow the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Proves the reality of our faith.
See Job 2:10, II Corinthians 12:10. Believing is different than understanding. True faith cannot be shaken by afflictions. Our faith can be compared to a boat on the water. When turmoil strikes our lives, it is a heavy boulder crashing into the center of our vessel. A tiny boat will sink while the same impact would hardly even be felt on an aircraft carrier.
Matures our faith.
See Job 40:4-5, James 1:2-4, Job 42:5, Deuteronomy 29:29a. Insisting on answers from God asks God to be accountable to us.
Disciplines and educates us.
See Hebrews 5:8, 12:7, I Corinthians 11:29-30, Psalms 119:67. Trials are sometimes God's rod of correction. He has used illness as a form of judgement, not once but many times. However, you must be extremely cautious in your interpretation of trials. It is so easy for Christians to blame tragedy and struggle on sin, and this happens far too often. I believe such corrections are very rarely used by God, so we must avoid judging others on circumstances.
Humbles us.
See II Corinthians 12:7. Teaches us something when we get too big-headed. Through trials we learn to depend on God. God uses weak people. Trials break us down to show us how weak we really are.
Shows that God's Grace is enough.
See II Corinthians 12:9, II Timothy 4:20. In essence, God was saying to Paul, "Trust Me, Paul, I will meet your needs; My grace is sufficient for you." This is difficult to understand because we live in such a deeply physical world. When that world is crumbling around us, it is difficult to believe that God will meet our needs. But He promised that He would. Do you believe the promise, or not?
Purifies us.
See I Peter 4:1-3, Job 23:10. Trials give us a guage to measure the depth or shallowness of commitment.
To bring glory to God.
Strange idea, isn't it; that our suffering might bring glory to God. How does that work? See John 11:3-6, 9:1-3, Job 13:15. Suffering demonstrates God's ability to inspire loyalty despite the anguish we're going through.
Drives us to the Word of God.
See Psalms 119:71, Isaiah 45:3, Colossians 3:16. Suffering forces us to read God’s Word more often and to pay more attention to it.
Causes us to grow spiritually.
See Romans 5:3-5. All sunshine makes a desert.
Trials are the will of God.
See I Peter 4:19, Acts 9:16, John 16:33, II Corinthians 12:8-9, Isaiah 55:8-9, 30:20. God is in control. His ways are different and higher than our ways. We may not like what we're going through, but we must always remember that God--who controls all things and knows all things--has decided that we should go through the particular suffering we are facing.
To make us more like Jesus.
See Romans 8:28-29. The great Sculptor takes in hand the hammer of suffering and chisels away at our character to shape it like Christ. What a great opportunity to become more like Christ through the tears and pain.
Puts us on stage.
See Hebrews 12:3-4, I Timothy 5:23. Job, Paul, and Jesus Christ recognized that their suffering would be used as a testimony to others. Our responsibility as Christians is to suffer graciously, without losing our joy or love for others. One of the greatest examples of this that I've ever seen is the case of a former pastor at my church, Dr. Keith Price. Diagnosed with terminal cancer with only months to live, this man radiated joy, love and grace every one of his remaining days, even as the pain became unbearable. Just weeks before he died, he preached a sermon so filled with joy and love for God that people are still talking about it years later. It's not how we live through good times that inspires others; it's how we live through suffering and how we die that make the greatest impact.
Testimony to angels and demons.
See Luke 15:10, Ephesians 3:10
Drives people to God.
See II Corinthians 7:8-11. The great author CS Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speakes in our consciences, but SHOUTS in our pains." The greater the struggle, the more we usually seek the face of God.
Marks ownership.
See I Corinthians 6:19-20. We are each God's property. Suffering puts this ownership in perspective.
Puts our thoughts on Heaven.
See Romans 8:22-23. We are not citizens of Earth, but of Heaven. We are ambassadors for Christ on planet Earth, to show the world during our short lifetimes what Heaven represents.
Prepares us for Heaven.
See II Corinthians 4:17, Hebrews 11:32-40
Private decision.
Sometimes God doesn't want us to know why, such as with Job's suffering. He is God, and we must accept His authority.