Archive for December, 2013
If God is Good, Why do People Suffer?
“But when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, darkness came. I am churning within and cannot rest; days of suffering confront me. I walk about blackened, but not by the sun. I stood in the assembly and cried out for help.” Job 30:26-28 (HCSB)
Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that every pursuit of good is met with only evil? That your pursuit of God is continually met with pain and suffering?
The most common question people have about God is some variation on the idea of God being good, yet evil existing in the world. Why are there disasters? Why are innocents killed? If God is good, why do people suffer? As the Bible reveals answers to these questions, we are reminded of the love and care of God even in the midst of hurting.
Suffering exists in our world for one simple reason: sin, which was introduced into the equation by Adam and Eve. There was no suffering in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned. Cain did not murder Abel until sin entered the world. The flood happened because people continuously did evil.
All evil and suffering exist because sin entered the world. That God is good can be seen by the fact that He did not abandon His creation. Sin is a continual affront to God. The miracle is that He still relates to us at all. Instead of leaving the people He created, we see Him working in history to redeem people, demonstrating His tender care and compassion.
Suffering exists because sin brought it upon us; suffering will ultimately be removed when God makes all things new.
But what about when we suffer personally? It’s one thing to talk about the existence of suffering as a category. What about when I suffer? When you suffer? When a woman is raped or a child is murdered? Why do those things happen? The Bible gives us at least three reasons Christians suffer.
1. A World of Suffering
We suffer because we live in a world of suffering. We are not exempt from it. Jesus suffered, as do His followers. “You will have suffering in this world,” Jesus said1. His promise was not deliverance from suffering, but peace within it.
2. God’s Glory
We suffer so that God may be glorified. Sometimes this happens in healing. But other times it comes by our praise of Him when He chooses not to heal us. When the disciples questioned Jesus about a blind man, they expected blame for his condition to be placed on either him or his parents. Jesus turned their expectations around when He revealed the purpose: that God’s works could be revealed.2
When Job lost everything He owned and all ten children in rapid succession, his response was to praise God in the midst of his mourning. Job’s faithfulness left us with one of the most poignant lines of worship in all the Bible: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.”3
3. Our Sin
We suffer when we sin. Too often, we hope God winks at our sin. We want a warning we’ve earned a ticket. We want to smoke for 40 years and never get cancer. We want to ignore our spouse and never face divorce. The simple fact is that God judges the sins of His people.4 Though God is extraordinarily merciful, He is far too loving to allow us to continue in sin. His goal is always that we will return to Him, even in the midst of our suffering.
Bible Studies for Life: Honest to God deals with a number of hard questions like these. I hope you will take a look at this series and consider using it in your church or small group study.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
1– John 16:33, HCSB
2– John 9:1-7
3– Job 1:21, HCSB
4– 1 Peter 4:17
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Disruptions
Disruptions in life come in all shapes and colors. Through unusual weather, schedule stress, and air travel uncertainty, disruptions have been real in the lives of millions of Americans. We have experienced some of it ourselves.
Disruptions make us aware of the joy of normalcy. Sometimes when we are living in the normal rut of our schedule and lives, we dream about how a challenge or disruption may help us. Then, when disruptions come, it becomes apparent that the normalcy of life is not bad, but good. It is where we are comfortable, safe, and secure.
Disruptions challenge us to flexibility. There are times when disruptions come and we have absolutely no control over the outcome. We can make a few decisions here and there that may alter things, but in reality, our alterations have little effect at all. Therefore, we are forced into flexibility. When this happens, we just shake our head and say, “Whatever.” For me, when I know I have no control in the situation, I look to the One who does. Yes, our Sovereign Ruling King, Jesus Christ. This is where peace and comfort overrules all else in my life.
Disruptions point us to our need for the Lord. When those mild to severe disruptions come into our lives, we are moved to think of the Lord and our desperate need for Him. Today, all over America, retailers, businesses, corporations, organizations, and churches are concerned with how the inclement weather will affect the financial outcome of what is normally their greatest month of the year. While these concerns are real, I want to challenge us to look to the Lord.
Jesus said,
“Let not your hearts be troubled.” (John 14:1)
“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life…” (Matthew 6:25)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.