If God is So Good, Why Does He Allow So Much Suffering?

(Part 2)

by Bryan Gibson
May 16, 2008

We pointed out in last week’s article that this question has confused and perplexed many people, even causing some to doubt the existence of God. What seems to have been forgotten, though, is that suffering has some very real spiritual benefits, four of which we looked at in last week’s article. Let’s look at four more in this article.

Suffering makes us more dependent on God. Here’s what Paul learned from the trouble he and his companions had in Asia: “that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). His thorn in the flesh had the same effect—it humbled him and made him depend more on God’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). We all want prosperity, but too much of it can have the same effect on us that it had on King Uzziah: “But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction...” (2 Chronicles 26:16).

Suffering helps to purify us. Our faith is often “tested by fire” (2 Peter 1:7), by the various sufferings we have to endure. These sufferings may be the very thing we need to purify our faith, to burn away any impurities that may be revealed. We tend to do very little self-examination when things are going well, but when times get hard, that’s when we begin to look a little deeper, to search our souls for any wrongdoing. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Suffering makes us more sympathetic toward others. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble...” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). We can sympathize with someone’s suffering, even when we haven’t it experienced it ourselves, but we can sure do a better job when we’ve been through the very same thing ourselves, or at least something very similar. It makes it much easier to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).

Suffering teaches us how to pray. It may take some suffering before we truly learn how to pray “earnestly” and “fervently” (Colossians 4:2, 12). It may only be then that we see the need to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Our experience could be very similar to that of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane: “Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly” (Luke 22:44).

Can we at least begin to see why a loving God would allow suffering, even to the innocent? It may be the very thing we need to prepare us for eternity. Let us resolve to serve him faithfully, no matter how much suffering we have to endure. He will reward us with a home in heaven, a place where suffering will be no more.