Why Does God Allow Suffering
June 14, 2026 Pastor Kathleen Thompson (PK)
I was talking with a friend the other day about how good Jesus has been to me, even with all the stuff that I’ve been through these last couple of years. And she shared with me a conversation that she had with a non-believer and the question came up, why does God allow bad things to happen? Maybe you have had someone ask you that question, maybe you have asked that question, especially if you have gone through a difficult time.
I think this is a question most of us have wondered about. Some how it doesn’t seem like a loving God, a God who loves us so much that He took on human form, left the glory of Heaven to come to earth and offer himself as a sacrifice for us. How could that God, seem to be impervious of our suffering. Does He really care, and if He does, why doesn’t He step in to stop all the suffering?
So there are several responses that one can give to such a question. (Lets take a journey through the scriptures)
The first one is probably the most basic reason and that is free will. When God created us he gave us the gift of free will. God loves us and He wants us to choose to love Him. It isn’t real love if you are forced to love. Genuine love requires freedom. Who would want someone to love them because they were forced to – that is not love at all. So this free will has gotten us (humans) into a lot of trouble. Let’s start at the beginning – a good place to start, right?
Adam and Eve. Created in God’s own image. Created to be in a relationship with God. To worship and glorify God. (Isaiah 43:7) And they were told not to do one thing… just one and they just couldn’t help themselves – and so sin came into the world, and because of that – God banished them from the Garden. He did not want them to remain forever in that condition, so he had to remove them from the Garden where the tree of life exists, if they had been allowed to stay in the garden we would never have been given the opportunity to experience redemption.
So sin came into the world bringing with it, death, suffering, and moral decay. Even creation suffered. (Romans 5:12, Genesis 3:17). And because of their disobedience, we all now live in a fallen world, with all its hardships and tragedies.
This was not what God had wanted, but it was our choice, our free will,… we chose to disobey God. And because God knows only truth and justice, a punishment had to happen and we were put outside the Garden into a world that was not going to be easy to live in.
Genesis 3 tells us just how bad its going to be – men toil, women have painful child births. And this sin brought about a need for sacrifice. Will get to that a little bit later.
Ok so we live in a broken, sin-fill world, but does that actually answer the question “why does God allow bad things to happen? I mean just look at the news, on any given day there seems like there are always disasters happening. Earthquakes, (Just this past week there was a large one in the Philippines) we’ve seen tornados and hurricanes, floods, fires, – just talk to anyone whose been on a mission relief trip, so much pain and suffering for months afterwards.
Why do they happen? Because like I said, creation suffered also in the fall, it is simply now the order of things.
Romans 8:20-21 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
And then there are just plain ole accidents.No one is at fault, nothing sinful occurred – you’re in your garden and step in a hole an break your ankle… you’re walking in your kitchen and trip over your own feet and hit your head, riding a bike and it gets away from you and you crash, a hammer slips out of someone’s hand and hits you in the head. – you get the point. Just life.
Well there are other reasons
Yes there is just evil, evil that was released into the world. Now let me assure you, God doesn’t cause evil, but He will allow it to take place to give us the opportunity to confront it and overcome it. And God will provide us with the strength and ability to endure trials and tribulations.
John 16:33 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Many times when tragedy comes it is because of our own decisions, our own sinful nature or maybe a choice made by someone else. War is a sad reminder of how the decisions of others can affect so many. A decision made out of greed, or lust, or power, or … well you get my point.
Somehow a decision is made to do what we know is wrong. Look at David and Bathsheba. There was a lot of tragedy that occurred from David’s sinful actions. The death of Bathsheba’s husband, and the soldiers with him, the death of David and Bathsheba’s son. All of it very tragic and all of it caused by the choices David made.
If your struggle comes because of someone else’s actions, we also need to remember to forgive. Forgiveness can be difficult, but it is for our benefit that we do, and if you can’t then know that the Lord will help you to forgive.
We have been warned that this life is not easy, but we also have been reassured that Jesus will see us through.
When I was first diagnosed with cancer, strangely enough, I had this sense of peace come over me… not the devastating reaction that I thought I would have felt,
It occurred to me then that I was not alone, I had the Lord to help me, I had Brad, I had my family and friends, my church family and many others, some I didn’t even know their names, all helping and encouraging me. And I had my bible. There were these two passages of scripture that I continually relied on… that helped me experience a peace that passes all understanding.
The first scripture was one I repeated often, “greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) and then of course that amazing psalm that so many depend on – “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
You see from the very beginning, Jesus was caring for me filling me with His Spirit and His peace and fighting this battle – I mean, what is a rod and staff used for?
I know that there are many here this morning – who have or are facing their own tragedies, their own trials, whether it’s illness, the loss of someone close, financial or just plain struggles of everyday life.
Sometimes our reactions are not always positive. We question God, we get angry at Him, we start to doubt God… we may even ask this question, if you love me God, why do I have to go through this.
One of the things that I discovered when I got sick is that my thoughts weren’t always positive. There were times when I was angry, frustrated, depressed…. I questioned God, I thought He wasn’t being fair…. I had just retired, and this was not what I was planning.
Well, scripture is full of people, who felt like this, David wrote many psalms where he was in deep despair, Look at Elijah the prophet, he was ready to throw in the towel (so to speak)
You know… it is ok to get mad and let God know you’re mad… I mean, lets be real here. He already knows anyway… and in the midst of your anger, He gently reminds you of His goodness.
And in His Goodness, he also taught me how important it is to be prepared for difficult times. Its like being in the green pastures, but then the wilderness comes… and I found in the wilderness I couldn’t even pray, I was too sick, I was just too plain tired… ok maybe short little prayers… but I didn’t want to read or study my bible… I just wanted to sleep, Here is another reason I discovered for why we suffer.
At my lowest point, this is where, I am sure the Holy Spirit stepped in – This is what Romans 8:26 – 27 says 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
And so I realized that I was learning a very powerful and wonderful lesson,… in the middle of our struggles, it’s easy to feel alone and abandoned. But the Bible reassures us that God is always with us, even in our darkest moments. He walks alongside us, providing comfort and strength. Providing support and as the Holy Spirit prays for us, He also guides us through each struggle.
Knowing this will help us to continue to grow deeper in our faith, trusting more and more that God does have a purpose for our suffering.
Look at the story of Lazarus. Jesus could have gotten there sooner, prevented Lazarus from dying, but Lazarus’ death served a greater purpose.
John 11:4, “But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”
Side note: Have you ever wondered why Jesus wept when he went to the tomb of Lazarus? He already knew Lazarus had died, he said it happened so that his followers would “really believe.” He couldn’t be sad Lazarus died? – I think Jesus wept, because in our suffering He suffers too. His compassion is great, and His love for us is immeasurable.
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Drawing closer to God through difficult times is a blessing in itself. When our need is great, God is greater. He does not leave us or forsake us, He gives us peace in the midst of our storms. You know sometimes we pray for God to calm the storm, but we also need to remember that He can and will calm us in the middle of the storms.
And each time we face a difficult situation, it can help us grow spiritually. We can develop a strength that we didn’t know we had and our faith grows deeper.
James 1:2-2 2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
1 Peter 1: 6-7 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
Ok, scripture tells us we are given Joy in suffering? Does that sound like a God who doesn’t care?
Suffering also helps us to develop a greater compassion for others going through the same difficulties. When we experience tragedies, we now have a point of reference and can understand what others are going through.
Our compassion and empathy for others is so much greater when we are sharing trials together.
Look at how people ban together when tragedy strikes. We are often overwhelmed by the generosity of others during a crisis, we witness the sacrifices people will make to help someone through a tough situation and because God is so gracious,…. when we help others, we are blessed too.
Romans 5:3-5 “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Adversity can help us to grow and mature. These challenges in our lives can often produce strength, perseverance…., a maturity that builds not only ourselves up but can also encourage those around us.
When we experience challenges, we can learn new lessons. We look for joy, we deepen our relationship with the Lord. We discover that our struggles lead us to become better versions of ourselves, equipped to help others who are facing similar situations. In this way, God uses our bad experiences for His glory and our benefit.
It is amazing when bad things happen, how so often good can out of it. Look at the story of Joseph found in Genesis, beginning in chapter 37. Joseph was one of 12 brothers and he was his father’s favorite, and so his brothers were jealous of him. They sold him into slavery and through a series of unfortunate events, Joseph who was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, ends up in a position of authority, 2nd only to Pharoah himself. When his brothers meet up with him at this point, they are afraid of what Joseph will do to them but Joseph, recognizes that he had to go through all that he did so that he could be in the position he was in, in order to save his family, in
Genesis 50: 19- 21 he tells them, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
In our own lives we watch stories of how what seemed like a bad thing, turned into a good thing. Maybe you’ve experienced something like that. God assures us that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). And yes even as bad as things may get, this struggle between good and evil, we also can recognize and believe that in the end God wins. Revelation 21:4, 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Have you noticed a theme in all these scripture passages? Yes trials and adversities happen, but there is always hope, hope for a better life. If not in this part of our existence, then certainly in the life we will have in eternity with Jesus… if you only put your faith and trust in Him.
Everything that happens to us, is not because God wants to hurt us, it is about wanting to make us His. He is willing to allow bad things to happen, so that we will have to turn to him.
You’ve heard people say “God won’t allow anything to happen that we can’t endure’?
We’ll that’s not exactly true. The scripture they are quoting is
1 Corinthians 10:13, “13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
This scripture passage is talking about temptations, not tragedies. Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9. about him and his companions as they tried to take the gospel into new places. 8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters,[a] about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die.
Paul and his companions are dealing with situations beyond their ability to endure. Ever felt like that? Well, the truth is, when we are to the point of despair – actually far beyond the point of despair, that is when we can no longer rely on ourselves, but we must be totally dependent on God. This is exactly what Paul continues to write… “But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.
And Paul continues to praise the Lord. Do you praise the Lord in the midst of your suffering?
Which brings me to recognizing the sovereignty of God. Through all our trials and struggles and tragedies, God is still in control. I know that His ways are beyond my understanding, but He knows exactly what is happening and His plans are greater than I could ever imagine. When we surrender our anxieties and lean on Him, trusting in His timing, then we can find peace, I don’t have to worry about what tomorrow will bring but as the song says, I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand. God has never failed me, he won’t fail you. And knowing that, I have learned to trust Him – I might not like where some of His lessons take me, but I fully believe that He is God, He is on His Throne, He is gracious and merciful and we just need to love and trust Him.
Here are some more scripture passages that you may find helpful in answering the question, why does God allow suffering.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
“But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.” – 2 Timothy 4:17
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11
“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” – Job 23:10
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.” – Psalm 37:5
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” – Colossians 3:13
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” – Matthew 6:14-15
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives.” – Isaiah 61:1
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” – James 5:16
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 30:17
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalms 147:3
“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” – Zechariah 9:12
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.” – Romans 15:4
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.” – Psalm 37:5