Thursday, July 10, 2025

Why Does God Allow Innocent People to Suffer?

As I write this post, I am overwhelmed by what has happened in Kerrville and Kerr County, Texas. I hesitate to respond, since words can be so inadequate in the face of such unimaginable, unspeakable loss. In times of immeasurable grief, the best things to say may be, “I love you. I care about you. I’m praying for you. I’m here to cry with you, hold you, listen to you, sit with you, and help you as you think best.” Even those words, of course, must be followed by action.

However, though I am reluctant to write, a dear friend has asked me to do so. His younger family members are asking, “Why does God allow innocent people to suffer?” It may be helpful to discuss this difficult question with those who are not in crisis at the present time, to help them prepare themselves before tragedy strikes.

Ironically, this question proves God’s existence rather than disproving that fact. This is true because the question assumes the reality of fairness and unfairness, of right and wrong. This sense of “ought” cannot be explained apart from the existence of a personal Creator who put that sense into every human being. The same is true of all personal qualities: love, kindness, sorrow, anger, etc.

There is a second proof of God’s existence, and of His care for hurting people. Many first responders have rushed to the scene. There have been multiple, tireless efforts to find and rescue every possible survivor. People across the country have been generous with their time, talents, and financial contributions. Just as surely as architecture reflects its architect, our compassion toward others reflects and proves our Creator.

Since there must be a God who instilled the human conscience, it is ultimately God who has authority over what happens, good or bad. Whether He causes something or simply permits it, God is supreme over all things. For this reason, Job never stopped believing in God, even when struck by repeated, unimaginable adversity. Job knew that God was still God, even though Job could not understand the “why” of human suffering.

What does the Bible teach about suffering?

First, God made a perfect world, without pain, sickness, earthquakes, floods, or even death. However, the sin of Adam and Eve caused God to curse the ground (Genesis 3). As a result, the earth is broken to a certain degree, and disasters are the result. It is not God but man who opened this “Pandora’s Box” and introduced suffering into the world. When a horrific event occurs, the question is not always, “Why did God allow this?” but rather, “Why did man sin and introduce all these painful consequences?”

God has at times used a flood (in Noah’s day), famines (on several occasions in Genesis), ten plagues (in Egypt), and an onslaught of locusts (in the book of Joel) as acts of judgment against the unrighteous. Of course, this does not answer why innocent people suffer, but it does demonstrate God’s control over the so-called “forces of nature.”

God has also tested faithful people on occasion to reveal whether they would obey Him in difficult circumstances. For example, He deprived the Israelites of food to teach them that man does not live by bread alone (Deuteronomy 8:3).

Satan – with God’s permission – used multiple tragedies and personal affliction to try to get Job to deny God. Job could still choose to trust and obey God. As a result, he experienced tremendous recovery and victory. Satan lost; God and Job won. When we suffer it is wise to ask, “How might Satan be at work here? How does Satan want me to respond to this?”

Some afflictions, pain, and death are the result of human sin. God created man with the freedom to choose evil, just as parents with their own children. God is not to blame for the actions of the drunk driver, the arsonist, the terrorist, the drug trafficker, or the thief.

Some adversity is the consequence of human error or mistakes. When a driver makes a wrong turn, an airplane component malfunctions, or a pharmacist, pilot, or surgeon slips up in some way, God is not at fault.

The apostle Paul saw value in his suffering. His unresolved thorn in the flesh taught him humility (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). His unjust imprisonment gave him a new audience for the gospel and increased the evangelistic boldness of other Christians (Philippians 1:12-14). His physical persecutions, even to the point of death, helped him value the suffering of Christ and want to share in that suffering (Philippians 3:10).

We have addressed the question, “Why does God allow suffering?” Here is the next related question. “If God is all powerful, all caring, and all good, why has He not provided a way to end such suffering?” The answer is, “He most certainly has.”

To solve the problem of human suffering, which man (not God) initially caused. God became a man. He entered into human suffering. He paid the price for man’s sins by dying a horrific death on the cross. He overcame death itself by rising from the dead on the third day. So the idea that God does not care about our adversities is false. The claim that God is unable to resolve human suffering is wrong.

As a result of the cross and the empty tomb, God will ultimately remove all suffering fro those who trust and obey Him. There will be no mourning, pain, sorrow, or death in heaven. Those who die in the Lord, regardless of their age or circumstances, leave this broken world to go home.

And finally …

No one who has gone to be with Jesus wishes that he or she could come back to this earth. Each person, now in the presence of God, knows that God brought him or her through the flood, through the cancer, through the car accident, through the fire, and through death itself. No one in that happy place blames God or questions God’s fairness and faithfulness.

The Bible does not promise immunity from tragedy here, and it would be a tragic mistake to assume such. The Bible describes us as “sheep led to the slaughter” because in fact we may face the worst circumstances possible. But it claims that, even in the midst of distressing events, we are more than conquerors because of the love of Jesus Christ!

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

No matter what happens, we choose to trust and obey God, and to give Him the glory!

 

Friday, May 16, 2025

Favorite Hymns About God's Providence

I hope that these hymns will encourage my readers as they encourage me. God bless each of you.

God Moves in A Mysterious Way – William Cowper, 1774

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm

Deep in unsearchable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

And ye fearful saints, fresh courage take
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings, yeah, in blessings
And in blessings on your head
On your head

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower

And ye fearful saints, fresh courage take
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings, yeah, and in blessings, yeah

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
For God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION John Rippon, 1787

This hymn was sung at the fun­er­als of Amer­i­can pres­i­dents The­o­dore Roo­se­velt and Wood­row Wil­son, and Amer­i­can Ci­vil War gen­er­al Robert E. Lee.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Be Not Dismayed Whate’er Betide – Civilla D. Martin, 1904

1 Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you;
Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you.

God will take care of you, through ev'ry day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you, God will take care of you.

2 Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you.

3 No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon his breast, God will take care of you.

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD – Brightwell, W. E.

1: The mighty God, Omniscient One! His ways we cannot trace. He reckons ev’ry good begun And crowns it with His grace.

2: Lo! I can see Him in His word: I will not doubt or fear; My steps are ordered of the Lord, His guiding hand is near.

3: No trial can my spirit break, For God will not forsake; He will with each temptation make A way for my escape.

4: The future beckons and I bow: My God removes the care! Behold, He goes before me now, And will my way prepare.

Chorus: He’s here and there, and ev’rywhere In all the ways I’ve trod.

I’ve never passed beyond the sphere Of the providence of God.