Suffering in God’s world SteepTurnpike Evangelical Church

“I’ve learnt one thing – people who know the least anyways seem to know it the loudest” Andy Capp

Why does God allow suffering? Where is God in suffering? Where does suffering come from? Does he care?

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” Genesis chapter one

“Cursed are you above all livestock.” So the LORD God said... “Cursed are you above all livestock.” “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe... Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.” “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it... Until you return to the ground.” “The word suffering would not exist if man had not shaken his fist in his creators face” John Blanchard

In response to your question, ‘What is wrong with the world?’ – I am. Yours faithfully, G K Chesterton

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.” Jeremiah 17:9-10, The Message

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our consciences, but shouts to us in our pain; it is His megaphone to a deaf world.” C S Lewis

Where is God in suffering?

“The Church has not been spending its energy to go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is choosing... To become more light and shallow and entertainment-orientated... The popular God of fun-church is simply too small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand.” John Piper

God’s relationship to evil

God never does evil The Judge of all the earth will always do what is right Genesis 18:25 “I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” Deuteronomy 32:3-4

God may send, permit or move others to do evil “I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things.” Isaiah 45:7 “And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he [Job] has is in your hand” Job 1:12 “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.” 1 Samuel 16:14

God may send, permit or move others to do evil “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” Hebrews 1:3 (English Standard Version) Jesus is continually carrying along all things in the universe by his word of power

“The time of earthly tears will only last for earthly years” Joni Eareckson Tada

Does God care?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” “I am just as certain that there is a God who creates and cares, as I am that this world is not as God designed it” Roger Carswell

No “If God is for us, who can be against us?... He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?... No Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... ...In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Some take-home points

“If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:15 “I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away... God’s dwelling is now among the people and he will dwell with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” Revelation 21:1-5

“I have. Been in prison. Been flogged “I have... Been in prison... Been flogged... Been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own people, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, in danger from false believers. I have laboured and toiled and often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked...” “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all...” “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”

say, soul’ Taught me to Whatever ‘It is well, it is well my with my lot You have Taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well my with soul’