Bible Study # 2 - Why does God allow us to suffer?

However, for this present time, we must face the undeniable
fact that people do suffer. That's a fact of life. You can find sickness,
sorrow, and suffering in all walks of life. It's everywhere you look. This very
moment you can probably think of someone very close to you who is suffering
greatly, and it just doesn't seem fair. Why does God allow it to happen? Does
God even care? If God is so good and holy, then why doesn't He put an end to all
suffering and pain? Keep reading, for there is a reason.

There was a time on this earth when suffering and sorrow did
not exist. When God first created man upon the earth, everything was perfect.
There was no sickness, no pain, no sorrow of any kind. It was God's plan for man
to live in peace and harmony never having to experience sorrow. According to
Genesis chapter three, it wasn't until man chose the way of Satan, rather than
the way of God, that sorrow entered the world. Man sins against God in Genesis
3:6-7, and God reveals to Adam and Eve the consequences of sin in Genesis
3:16-19. God told Adam and Eve that they would now experience SORROW
and DEATH. Therefore, the suffering and sorrow that you and I face
today is not the work of an unjust God; it's the consequences of sin. We suffer
because we are sinners. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Friend, we suffer and die because of SIN.

You say, "I didn't do anything wrong. Why am I a sinner?" We
are all born with a sin nature. We inherited our fallen sin nature from Adam and
Eve. Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned:" We read in Romans 3:23 that ALL HAVE SINNED and come short of
the glory of God. Why do we suffer? We suffer because we are sinners by nature.

Perhaps you are thinking, "Well, what's the point? What does
God accomplish by allowing us to suffer?" Very simple: He's trying to tell us
something. By allowing people to suffer, God is showing us that SOMETHING IS
WRONG. If everything were alright between man and God, then there would be no
sorrow and death, because in the beginning there was none. God is showing you
every day of your life that man has been SEPARATED from Him because of sin, and
that man is destined to an eternity in Hell Fire unless he comes to God for
help. The fact that God allows suffering and agony today proves that He will
allow it in eternity as well.

God doesn't ENJOY seeing anyone suffer, but He does ALLOW
people to suffer for various reasons. If you've never received the Lord Jesus
Christ as your Savior, then God wants you to see your need to do so. Sometimes
God has to allow tragedy to enter a life in order to get someone to look to Him
for Salvation. As someone has said, "Some people won't look up to God until He
puts them on their back." This is sad, but true. There are many people who would
still be lost in their sins if God had not brought some tragedy into their life
to get their attention.

Do you suppose the leper of Matthew 8:2 would have came to
Jesus if he'd been in perfect health? What about the blind man of Luke 18:35? II
Kings chapter five tells the story of Naman, the Syrian captain who had leprosy.
Had this man not had leprosy, he would never have turned to God. The Bible is
filled with cases where God reaches people through suffering. Nebuchadnezzar
didn't fear God until God humbled him by making his spend seven years of his
life on his hands and knees like an animal (Dan. 4:30-37).

Sometimes He will even use the tragedy of one to bring OTHERS
to Christ. Such is the case with Lazarus in John chapter eleven. Lazarus was
very sick, but before he ever died Jesus said that his sickness was "for
the glory of God" (Jn. 11:2-4). Later, in John 11:45, we read that
". . . . many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things
which Jesus did, believed on him." We also read in John 12:11 that many
believed on the Lord Jesus Christ BECAUSE OF LAZARUS. Had Lazarus not suffered
and died, these people may never have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. You
see, God was in complete control. Jesus KNEW that Lazarus was sick, but He chose
not to go and heal him (Jn. 11:6). He had a REASON for the sorrow and death in
the family of Lazarus. No one suffers in vain. God always has a reason, and
sometimes He is trying to show someone their need to receive the Lord Jesus
Christ. Could this be true in your own life? Think about it. Could the Lord be
convicting you of the fact that you are a sinner, and you need to be saved?

As a Christian, it is my duty to live a Christ-honoring and
obedient life before God. If I become disobedient, the Bible says that my
Heavenly Father will rebuke and chasten me (To "chasten" is to punish or correct
for moral improvement.) Revelation 3:19 says, "As many as I love, I rebuke
and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Notice these important
words from Hebrews 12:6-8: "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with
you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye
be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and
not sons." Just as any responsible father disciplines his children when
they become disobedient, God disciplines His children. Paul says in I
Corinthians 11:31-32 that we can often avoid God's chastisement by JUDGING
OURSELVES instead of ignoring our sins, thus forcing God to judge us. Addressing
Christians, John tells us that, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
(I Jn. 1:9) It is my Christian responsibility to do my very best to live
a sinless life, but when I do sin I must repent and CONFESS my sins to God. If I
choose not to do so, then I am being a disobedient child, and my Heavenly Father
will rebuke and chasten me. Sad as it may be, many Christians are going through
tragedy today because they refuse to confess their sins to the Lord and repent.

II Timothy 3:12 says, "Yea, and all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Then II Timothy 2:12 says,
"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him..." Jesus said,
". . . . If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross daily, and follow me." (Lk. 9:23) When a Christian chooses to
deny himself and follow Christ, he (or she) chooses to suffer for the Lord. The
world has always found a way to persecute God's people, and we should not be
surprised when persecution arises. Jesus suffered for us, and we should count it
an honor to suffer for Him. In Acts 5:41 the Apostles REJOICED that they were
counted worthy to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus said that we SHOULD
rejoice when we suffer for His sake, because GREAT is our reward in Heaven (Mt.
5:12). I Peter 2:19-21 tells us that it is our duty to follow our Lord's example
in suffering, and I Peter 4:12-16 tells us to be happy when we suffer for
Christ, and it tells us not to be ashamed. Some people are going through hard
times today because, like Moses, they CHOSE to suffer affliction with the people
of God, instead of enjoying the pleasures of sin (Heb. 11:25). Such people may
appear to have gotten an unfair deal from God, but the Bible says they are truly
blessed, for they have many treasures laid up for them in heaven (Mt. 6:19-21; I
Cor. 3:11-15). Romans 8:18 says, "For I recon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us." We read in I Peter 5:10 that our suffering in this
present world is only for "a while." Are you willing to bear your
cross for the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you have any treasures in Heaven? Are you
willing to suffer for the Lord?

Not all suffering Christians are disobedient Christians. There
are many very dear Christians who go through great agony every day, yet they are
some of sweetest and most God-fearing saints you'll ever meet. Why does God
allow them to suffer? There are many reasons.

One reason is humility. If we believed some of the popular
"Faith Healers" of our day, we'd believe that people suffer because they lack
faith in God, but this isn't necessarily true. The Apostle Paul didn't live in
sin and he didn't lack faith in God, but he DID have to suffer. Why? He tells us
why in II Corinthians 12:7: "And lest I should be exalted above measure
through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the
flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above
measure." Whatever this thorn in the flesh was, verses eight and nine
tell us that God chose NOT to take it from Paul. Instead, He chose to give Paul
the GRACE to bear the burden. God used this problem in Paul's life to help keep
him humble, to keep him from being exalted above measure.

Sometimes God sees the need to put us through some things for
the purpose of making us stronger. Paul tells us in II Timothy 2:3 to, ".
. . . endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." You know, many
times a drill sergeant will put a soldier through some things just to make him
tough, just to see how much he's willing to take--how dedicated he is. There may
not seem to be any logical reason for the trouble that we often face, but God
always has a reason. Sometimes He's just trying to make us tougher. According to
Galatians 5:22, a Spirit-filled Christian is supposed to be LONGSUFFERING. Are
you longsuffering? Are you willing to "tough it out" for the Lord?

God will also use suffering to teach us patience. Romans 5:3
tells us that, ". . . . tribulation worketh patience. . . "
Remember Job? God allowed Satan to take Job's oxen, his asses, his sheep, his
camels, his servants, his children, and even his health. Yet, the Bible says,
". . . . In all this did not Job sin with his lips." (Job 2:10) In
the latter end God restored to Job TWICE as much as he originally had (Job
42:10). Are you willing to trust God and patiently wait for His deliverance when
trouble comes your way?

Some people suffer so that they will be better equipped to
comfort others in their suffering (II Cor. 1:3-4). It's always a blessing to
know someone who has gone through the same troubles that you are going through,
for they usually have some helpful words of comfort and wisdom. Are you going
through some pretty tough times? Maybe the Lord is giving you the experience
that you'll need to help someone else later.

Friend, as you can see, there are a number of reasons why God
allows people to suffer. He always knows what is best, and He never makes a
mistake. David said, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I
might learn thy statutes." (Psa. 119:71) The Apostle Paul,
one who suffered greatly, said these words in Romans 8:28: "And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to his purpose." He also said, "I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philip. 4:13)

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us all, that we might have
eternal life. The curse of suffering and death entered this world because of
sin, but we can escape the curse through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said,
". . . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me." (Jn. 14:6) There is coming a day when all suffering
will end for those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Revelation 21:4
says, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away."

Have you received Jesus Christ as
your Savior?

The Bible says that you can receive Christ by BELIEVING on His name (Jn.
1:12). He paid for your sins, and by CLAIMING Him as your Savior--resting in His
finished Blood Atonement for your sins--you can be saved! Romans 4:5 says,
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness." Ephesians 2:8-9 says that you
are saved by GRACE THROUGH FAITH, not by your works. God is not wanting
you to do good works to get to Heaven, for there is none that doeth good (Rom.
3:10). "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom.
3:23) You do not need God to judge your good deeds and your evil deeds;
you need a SAVIOR to save you from your sins. Jesus Christ is the Savior. If
you'll call upon Him for Salvation, trusting Him Alone to save you, He'll save
you and give you eternal life. It's that simple. "For if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9) Romans
10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved." Why not call upon Him right now? Tomorrow may be too late.