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The Problem of Suffering

David Banning
07/14/19 - Gospel Meeting

Series: VBS: Digging For Answers

A huge stumbling block to our faith can ultimately be detrimental to it: the problem of suffering. If God is good and loves us, why does He allow us to suffer so much, especially when it seems we don't deserve it? If He is both all powerful and all good, how can He have the power to stop it but not stop it? To answer these questions, there are several things we must consider first.

1) Examine our expectations. Do we have biblical expectations of life? Or are we expecting something of God that He never promised?

2) Consequences of free will. Many times, suffering occurs because God created us with free will. We are not robots, programmed to do the righteous thing 24/7. We make mistakes, and commit evil against our fellow man.

3) My part in my troubles. Perhaps MY own actions are a big part of my suffering. Let's consider if this is the case before we blame God.

4) God's timetable. If God knows what's best for us, then He will make all things beautiful and good in HIS time, not ours. Surely, God knows the best way and time to effect His providential will in our lives.

5) God's agenda. God's own word tells us that His ways and thoughts are much higher than ours. We cannot even begin to comprehend the ultimate workings and purpose of God's will, other than what He has revealed to us in His word. We MUST trust God. He has a plan. We need to be ok wuth not knowing it.

6) The bigger picture. There's a bigger, more eternal picture and truth we must consider in our lives. And if we were to spend more time focusing on the bigger picture, the eternal goal, then we should have the same mind of Paul the apostle: "..I consider the suffering sof this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to berevealed to us."