Why the World Suffers
An Answer to the Question
“If God Exists, Why Is There Suffering in the World?”
When discussing the existence of God (or His non-existence), one of the most frequently asked questions is “If God Exists, Why Is There Suffering in the World?”. It’s a very good question, one that deserves an answer. To find this answer, one must look into the teachings of the people that say God exists in the first place.
In the Bible, God is proclaimed to exist, and Jesus is proclaimed his son. One of the most common themes of the Gospels, the books that tell of Jesus’ life, is that God loves us, no matter how much we sin, and that He wants us to come and be with Him forever in Heaven. The question people ask is “How can such a loving God allow so much suffering?”. The answer can be found in the book of Genesis.
When God created the world, He made placed Adam and Eve, the first humans, in the Garden of Eden. In that same garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve were free to eat from any of the trees except this latter tree. When they sinned, disobeying God’s one command, evil entered the world. From that point on, people could feel pain, experience sadness, and, eventually, die. They would be born with Original Sin, the reminder of Adam and Eve’s sin. So, the world has evil because of Original Sin? Well, not exactly.
The Original Sin of Adam and Eve caused evil to enter the world. But if God had wanted to, He could have prevented this, right? Right. He could have. God could have made it so that humans never could disobey him. He could have decreed that we have to follow His every command, every time. He also could have decided that there would be no evil because there would be no right and wrong. But He didn’t. Why? Because he loved us.
Because He loved us so much, God gave us free will. Free will is the ability to choose what we think and say, who we become, and what we do with our lives. Because of free will, people can choose to do evil, and because of our choices “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, there is no innocent suffering. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was the only truly “innocent” and “righteous” man in all history, nevertheless has suffered more than anyone else who ever lived. God decided that there must be such things as right and wrong, because without them people would not be able to live to experience the fullest happiness.
Suffering also can be an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to encourage us to turn more fully to God. God, though free will, gives us the opportunity to sin, to create evil. Why? Not because He doesn’t care about us, for “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19), and not because He is leaving us to work things out on our own. Again, it is because He loves us. God created us to love and serve him, but it doesn’t mean much when someone loves and serves you because they have to. Real devotion is shown when a person loves and serves someone no because he has to, but because he wants to. Therefore, God gives us the choice for follow Him, or not.
God has a great and wonderful plan for each of us. In His great love, He made us, sent His Son to die for us, and offers us the chance of eternal life. But we have to choose it. Every person has the choice between good and evil. We experience this choice every day, every hour. Should I lie to cover up my mistake? Should I resist this temptation, our let it win over me? What should I do now? If we all follow God’s plan, and show others with the respect, love, and mercy that God shows us, the world will be a beautiful place. But it starts with each on of us.
“For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
In the Bible, God is proclaimed to exist, and Jesus is proclaimed his son. One of the most common themes of the Gospels, the books that tell of Jesus’ life, is that God loves us, no matter how much we sin, and that He wants us to come and be with Him forever in Heaven. The question people ask is “How can such a loving God allow so much suffering?”. The answer can be found in the book of Genesis.
When God created the world, He made placed Adam and Eve, the first humans, in the Garden of Eden. In that same garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve were free to eat from any of the trees except this latter tree. When they sinned, disobeying God’s one command, evil entered the world. From that point on, people could feel pain, experience sadness, and, eventually, die. They would be born with Original Sin, the reminder of Adam and Eve’s sin. So, the world has evil because of Original Sin? Well, not exactly.
The Original Sin of Adam and Eve caused evil to enter the world. But if God had wanted to, He could have prevented this, right? Right. He could have. God could have made it so that humans never could disobey him. He could have decreed that we have to follow His every command, every time. He also could have decided that there would be no evil because there would be no right and wrong. But He didn’t. Why? Because he loved us.
Because He loved us so much, God gave us free will. Free will is the ability to choose what we think and say, who we become, and what we do with our lives. Because of free will, people can choose to do evil, and because of our choices “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, there is no innocent suffering. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was the only truly “innocent” and “righteous” man in all history, nevertheless has suffered more than anyone else who ever lived. God decided that there must be such things as right and wrong, because without them people would not be able to live to experience the fullest happiness.
Suffering also can be an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to encourage us to turn more fully to God. God, though free will, gives us the opportunity to sin, to create evil. Why? Not because He doesn’t care about us, for “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19), and not because He is leaving us to work things out on our own. Again, it is because He loves us. God created us to love and serve him, but it doesn’t mean much when someone loves and serves you because they have to. Real devotion is shown when a person loves and serves someone no because he has to, but because he wants to. Therefore, God gives us the choice for follow Him, or not.
God has a great and wonderful plan for each of us. In His great love, He made us, sent His Son to die for us, and offers us the chance of eternal life. But we have to choose it. Every person has the choice between good and evil. We experience this choice every day, every hour. Should I lie to cover up my mistake? Should I resist this temptation, our let it win over me? What should I do now? If we all follow God’s plan, and show others with the respect, love, and mercy that God shows us, the world will be a beautiful place. But it starts with each on of us.
“For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).