Why Does God Allow Human Suffering?

1. Why Does God Allow Human Suffering? Psalm 73:11-17

2. Situations That Cause Reflection • Child born with illness that bankrupts his parents and the child die. Why does this happen? • Our inability to find answers does not deny the existence of God! Deuteronomy 29:29 • We need to have the wisdom of Job and never blame God – Job 2:9,10

3. Consider Truths We Do Know • God has given man free agency • Man has the power of choice – Ecclesiastes 7:29; Joshua 24:15 • We are not robots • Ability to choose hold both great blessing and great danger

4. God Has Not Foreordained All Things • Jeremiah 32:35 “which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination” • Presence of evil show us that God in making man with a free will allowed for the possibility of sin • God does not bring about sin – James 1:12,13

5. God Has Not Foreordained All Things • God does however use sinful men in their craftiness to accomplish His will- 1Corinthians 2:6-8 • 1 Corinthians 3:10-20 • Romans 9:17,18

6. Satan & The Sin He Introduced Is The Source Of All Suffering • God made this world free of sin & good – Genesis 1:31 • Man & Creation changed – Genesis 3:16-19 • Satan makes use of man’s vulnerability to capture him- Hebrews 2:14,15 • Those in fellowship with God have His protection from Satan- 1 Corinthians 10:13 • God will bless eternally those who choose Him- 2Thessalonians 1:6,7

7. There Are Several Reasons For Suffering • When physical law is violated • Rules surrounding: gravity, fire, water, darkness and light • When spiritual law is violated • Galatians 6:7,8; 1 Peter 4:15 • When other make wrong choices • Joshua 7:24,25

8. There Are Several Reasons For Suffering • We suffer from Adam & Eve’s choice • Romans 5:12 • Suffer consequences not guilt – Ezekiel 18:2,20 • When natural disasters occur • Careful about accessing blame – John 9:1-3

9. There Is Great Value In Suffering • What did Joseph learn about his suffering? Genesis 50:19,20 • We never see the ways God uses tragedy in our lives – we must trust God • Suffering can allow us to better acquainted with God – Isaiah 37:1-4 • Need to see the brevity of life- Psalm 90:12 • Job came to know God better- Job 42:5,6

10. There Is Great Value In Suffering • Suffering can cause us to develop greater spiritual qualities – Romans 5:3,4; 1Peter 1:6,7 • Learn the value of waiting on the Lord- James 1:2-4 • We have stronger hope – Romans 8:18 • Suffering can increase our influence for the Lord – 1 Peter 2:11,12; 4:12-16

11. There Is Great Value In Suffering • Suffering can allow us to help other who suffer – 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 • There is a great joy in helping other who are walking the paths you have trod • Be faithful wherever this life my lead- Philippians 4:12,13

12. Christians View Suffering As An Opportunity • Do You? • Philippians 1:27-30 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.”