Why does God allow suffering?
Father God, I know that every tear produced in suffering is not wasted in Your kingdom. Tears water the life so it can produce fruit. Every suffering has a purpose. God loves you, even if you suffer. He has you.
Our view of suffering determines our view of God. Our view of God determines our view of suffering. If you only say “God is good” when things are good, then you don’t know the half of His goodness. God is always good. It is only in the worst of times that we can learn to trust in His goodness the most. It is far easier to trust when you don’t have to.
We think that every good thing is from God and all suffering is of the Devil. Yet God uses suffering for our gain and the Devil uses the good pleasures of life for our demise. “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies” (Lamentations 3:31-32).
In the midst of unimaginable suffering, Job proclaimed, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him…” (Job 13:15). Accepting that your suffering can flow from His goodness is a truth that wrecks the devilish doctrine of the gospel of health, wealth and prosperity. This is truth: you will suffer. But praise God in your suffering, because He has you.
Suffering is the window through which you either see the purposes of God or the hopelessness in the world. Joseph endured years of suffering, and then said this to his brothers who had caused it: “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20). Your viewpoint of suffering depends upon whether you focus on the intentions of man or the intentions of God.
Let the suffering in your life mean something. Consider that the Lord has broken your heart so that He can flow through it onto others. That the “…God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). You become the instrument of healing as you yourself are being healed.
We grow a thousand fold more in but one suffering moment than we do in a thousand easy days. Suffering produces what pleasure never can. The dawn only comes after the darkness. Darkness is always overcome by light. Tribulation is the currency that either buys character or is squandered into bitterness. If it was easy you wouldn’t grow.
Faith is not the lack of obstacles, but trusting in Him to get you through them. “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17). If you’re going to suffer, at least let it be for something worthwhile for all of eternity. If you ever question why God’s will for you is so difficult, consider Jesus.
Preach that we will suffer, and you will prepare a saint for what lies ahead. “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). Faith is not a path out of circumstances, but through them. People think the life of a saint is easy. It is not easy, but it is right.
Nothing precious comes easy. Nothing worthwhile is without price. Do not measure the love of God by your suffering, but measure your suffering in light of the love of God. James said, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray…” (James 5:13). Suffering that leads to prayer places you before Christ Himself. Live your life such that your prayer time with God remains the same, in good times and in the bad.
Never forget, He loves you and He has you.
Praying the Lord would comfort you in all your suffering,
Paul