I heard a story of a man who was on his deathbed. He was slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet his wife faithfully stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, “You know what? You have been with me through all of the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side. When I got shot, you were by my side. You know what?”
“What dear?” she asked gently, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth. The ailing husband said, “I think you’re bad luck!”
From the day we are born, life is filled with troubles.
• There are those days where everything goes wrong. Maybe you are having one of those right now, and you wonder, “Why?”
• A tsunami strikes Southeast Asia and thousands die and we wonder, “Why?”
• A terrorist strikes and hundreds are killed or injured and we wonder, “Why?”
• Or a friend is driving home when they are hit by a drunk driver head on. The friend is killed and the drunk driver survives, and we wonder, “Why?”
• Or a loved one close to us dies.
• Or we get cancer.
“How Could a God of Love Allow Pain, Tragedy, and Suffering?”
A Barna Poll asked, “If you could ask God one question and you knew He would give you an answer, what would you ask?” The most common response was, “Why is there pain and suffering in the world?”
If you are sharing the gospel, it won’t be long before someone asks, “How could a God of love allow tragedy, pain, and suffering?” C.S. Lewis said that the “problem of pain is atheism’s most potent weapon against the Christian faith.” More people point to the problem of evil and suffering as their reason for not believing in God than any other. It is not merely a problem; it is the problem.
So, why does God allow tragedy? If God can prevent such terrible tragedies, why does He allow them to take place? Here’s the classic statement of the problem: Either God is all powerful but not all good, and therefore He doesn’t stop evil—or He’s all good but not all powerful, and therefore He can’t stop evil.
The general tendency, of course, is to blame God for evil and suffering, transferring all responsibility to Him. So let’s look closer at the core question: If God is so good and loving, why does He allow evil?
The first part of this question is based on a false premise. People who express those words are essentially suggesting (or saying outright) that God must meet their own criteria of goodness. But who are they to set standards for God? When did they become the moral center of the universe?
God isn’t good just because that’s my opinion of Him, or because I personally agree with His words or actions. God is good because He says He is! Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone” (Luke 18:19 NIV).
God is good, whether I believe it or not. He and He alone is the final court of arbitration. As Paul said, “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4 NIV). And what is “good”? Good is whatever God approves. And it’s good because He approves it! “That’s circular reasoning!” Well, maybe, but everything begins and ends with God. I think of it more as biblical reasoning.
In Isaiah 1:18, God invites, “Come now, and let us reason together” (NKJV) or “Come, sit down, let’s argue this out!” (MSG). You see, God’s thoughts are above our thoughts. There’s no higher standard of goodness than God’s own character—and His approval of whatever’s consistent with that character. So God is good. Period.
Now let’s come back to the second part of the question. Why does He allow evil?
Remember that mankind was not created evil. In their original state, Adam and Eve were innocent, ageless, and immortal. But from the very beginning—from the time that God gave life to Adam and Eve, man has had the ability to choose right or wrong. He made his choice (and then his choice made him!).
Had man never sinned, there would have been no resulting curse. But now it’s too late. Romans 5:12 says, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”
The point to keep in mind here is that humanity—not God—is responsible for sin.
So why didn’t God create human beings to be incapable of sin? If God hadn’t given us a free will, we would merely be puppets on a string, remote-controlled robots that bow before Him at the touch of a button.
God wants to be loved and obeyed by creatures who voluntarily choose to do so. Love cannot be genuine if there’s no other option. You and I can choose to love God. And if we’re realistic, we have every reason in the world to make that choice.
Most of us can accept the idea of suffering in general, especially when it happens as a consequence of bad behavior. When bad things happen to bad people it seems appropriate, fitting, understandable. So, its’ not suffering that troubles us; it’s undeserved suffering.
Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Even more, why do bad things happen to godly people?
There are times I just don’t know why God does or does not do certain things. I, like you, am mystified by a lot of it. So here is my answer: I just don’t know!
Listen: being a Christian does not mean you will not suffer. We may ask the question, “Why me?” but we could more easily ask, “Why not me?” As 1 Peter 4:12 tells us “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening you” (ESV). Our trials and sufferings should not be seen as strange but expected. Jesus Himself assured us that there will be suffering in our lives: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJV).
Here is what we need to know: we need to prepare for suffering. Suffering will come; it’s not a matter of if but when and how much.
As you hear this message, and you do not have any suffering or tragedy, I would say, “Rejoice, and enjoy it!” But know that hardship will come.
Here is the bottom line: you are either coming out of a storm or headed into another. “People are born for trouble as predictably as sparks fly upward from a fire” (Job 5:7). It’s just a matter of time. In this life, the only way to avoid suffering is to die. So like the diligent squirrel gathering nuts for winter, store these truths in your heart.
As Randy Alcorn says in his book If God Is Good, Why?, “Most of us don’t give focused thought to evil and suffering until we experience them. This forces us to formulate perspective on the fly, at a time when our thinking is muddled and we’re exhausted and consumed by pressing issues. People who have “been there” will attest that it’s far better to think through suffering in advance.” In other words, be prepared ahead of time!
Let’s look now at the story of a man who suffered greatly. Very few suffered as badly as he did—not because he was ungodly but because he was, in fact, very godly. I am speaking of course of Job.
Here is the story of a man who was not doing wrong, but in fact was doing right, to the point that God was bragging on his uprightness and integrity. Then the bottom dropped out. But that is also where the lessons begin. You have heard of the “patience of Job.” Here we will see exactly what that means.
The Character of Job
Job was not a fictitious character. Because the Bible says he lived in Uz we might think of the land of Oz. But Job was a real man, with real problems, who turned to a real God and found real hope. He is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, including Ezekiel 14 and James 5.
Job turned to God in time of monumental crisis—the same God we can turn to when we have troubles. Job is thought to be the oldest book of the Bible, possibly written by Moses.
Job 1:1–5:
“There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. Job's sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job's regular practice.”
1. Job was a man of integrity, character.
The longer I have been in ministry, the more impressed I am with character than charisma. I have seen a lot of charismatic preachers come and go. I am more impressed with someone who is faithful to their spouse. Someone who seeks to glorify God with their life and stands the test of time.
Old Job practiced what he preached. And indeed character counts! In fact, it may be the most important thing in a person’s life—not just what you say, but what you are.
If you want to know who you really are, here is what it comes down to: when you are all alone, when no one is looking, when there’s no one to impress, that is who you are. D.L. Moody defined character as “what you are in the dark.” The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
Character, or integrity, is all about what you are when you are alone.
• What do you think about the most?
• What saddens you?
• What makes you happy?
• What makes you mad?
• What makes you laugh?
That is your character. A German proverb says, “A man shows his character by what he laughs at.”
2. Job was a wealthy man too.
Success has turned many a head. Wealth can potentially be a stumbling block to us spiritually. Jesus spoke about the seed that was slowly but surely choked out by weeds. “[Some people], like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:18–19 NIV).
It’s not that it’s wrong to desire success or a nice home, or car, or whatever. But when these things become an obsession, then they have become your God. Scripture warns of “covetousness, which is idolatry.” We are warned in Psalm 62:10, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.” But Job’s head was not turned by his vast wealth.
3. Job was a family man.
He had raised his children in the way of the Lord and prayed for them. Like any concerned parent, when his kids were gone he was concerned about them. After our children reach a certain age it becomes more difficult to tell them what to do. We teach our children what is right, but then we entrust them to the Lord.
Job was a godly father, but I’m not so sure his wife was a godly mother, as we will see.
4. Job was a prayerful man.
Verse 5 tells us he would offer a burnt offering for his children. That is an Old Testament way of saying he prayed for them. And this was not sporadic, but a regular practice.
The Bible tells us that we should “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 NKJV).
Let me ask you: Is God first in your life like He was for Job? Do you pray for your children? Do you set an example of godly integrity for them to follow? If you are having trouble in the home, or trouble with your children, it may be that there is trouble in your heart.
A Heavenly Encounter
Meanwhile, up in heaven, a conversation would happen that would change Job’s life.
Job 1:6–12
“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. ‘Where have you come from?’ the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, ‘I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on.’ Then the Lord asked Satan, ‘Have you noticed My servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.’ Satan replied to the Lord, ‘Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’ ‘All right, you may test him,’ the Lord said to Satan. ‘Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically.’ So Satan left the Lord's presence.”
Talk about having friends in high places! God was so proud of Job, He was bragging on him. “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—a man of complete integrity.” Wow. Talk about an endorsement!
I wonder what God’s description would be of you or me? Clearly, God does not see us the way we necessarily see ourselves. 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us that the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NKJV).
We may think we are quite godly, but we should never boast of our love for God. John referred to himself as “the apostle that Jesus loved.” Paul the apostle referred to himself as “the chief of sinners.”
Satan’s Agenda
Here in Job we are introduced to Satan. It is clear from this text and countless others that the devil is a real personality. His single ambition is turn you and me away from God and all that is good. Satan’s ultimate agenda can be summed up in this statement of Jesus: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10 NKJV).
The thief (Satan) wants to steal, kill, and ultimately destroy you. Of course he won’t tell you that upfront. Satan is a master of packaging and he knows how to sell his stuff.
One wonders, “Where did the devil even come from and why did God create him?” First of all, God did not really create the devil as we know him today. A chain of events took place that resulted in that wicked personality we know today as Satan.
The Bible gives him many names, including Satan, the devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the father of lies, the God of this world, and the prince of the power of the air. He usually comes in all his depravity, pulling people into vile and sinful directions. But sometimes he will come as an angel of light, deceiving.
We need to know his M.O. so we can effectively resist him. The Bible says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 NKJV). Satan was once a high-ranking angel who then rebelled against God. When Satan fell, he did not fall alone. He took with him one third of the angels (see Revelation 12:4), which number some 10,000 times 10,000. This accounts for all of the fallen angels, or demons, that now do his bidding.
Though the devil lost this once-exalted position, he still has access to heaven’s throne there. He seems to have one primary objective: to accuse us! And that’s exactly what is happening as our story begins.
God said to Satan “Where have you come from?” The devil replied, “I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”
That’s interesting. The Bible describes Satan as roaring lion, seeking whom he many devour. Like a hungry lion, he is looking for prey, someone to pounce on! He never takes a vacation; he never rests. If he is beaten, he rises again. If he can’t enter in the front door, he tries to get in the back. If that doesn’t work he’ll try to come through the roof or tunnel up under the floor. He just doesn’t give up! He looks for those who are vulnerable and weak.
God’s Hedge of Protection
So, here in heaven, God starts bragging on Job. Satan is not buying it. Lucifer is called the “father of lies” but sometimes he tells the truth: “Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm.” The King James Version says, “You have put a hedge around him.”
Despite his wicked agenda, Satan still has to ask permission when it comes to the child of God because of this “hedge of protection” God has put in place. Even demons have to ask God first. Remember on one occasion the demons who identified themselves as Legion had to ask permission to enter a herd of pigs.
One day, Satan came to Jesus asking specifically for Simon Peter by name! Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Satan has asked excessively that you be taken out of the care and protection of God that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you” (see Luke 22:31). Peter was such a “big fish” that the devil himself came knocking.
Thankfully God knows our “breaking point” and won’t give us more than we can handle. 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
In the same way, you have a protective wall around you that God Himself has erected. Satan and his demons cannot penetrate this wall. It’s an impregnable fortress! Therefore, whatever comes your way must come by means of divine permission. And God will never give you more than you can handle! As He protected Job, He will protect you.
You may not be able to realize this because you cannot see the protection right now. But God has indeed set that wall around you. You wonder, “What if this or that happens?” God knows, and not one sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge. If God knows about the little sparrow, surely he knows about you and your cares. God has either done or allowed the things in your life.
From this story we also see how Satan works. One of his most effective strategies is that after he has pulled you down through temptation, he then proceeds to “accuse you” before God.
Satan is saying to God “Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm.” He is accusing Job of not really loving God at all. He is suggesting that Job feared God for what Job got out of it instead of having genuine love for the Lord. So the Lord allowed the following to happen to Job.
Job’s Calamity
Job 1:13–22:
Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; and a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!’ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!’ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!’ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!’ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”
Wow. This really is incomprehensible. Think about it. In one day, Job was completely bankrupt. All he had acquired throughout his life was gone in a moment. But far worse than that, all of his children were killed—seven sons and three daughters gone!
Having lost our son, I know this pain well. Trust me when I tell you that this was the worst of Job’s losses that day, by far. No parent wants to outlive their children. We spend our lives caring for, protecting, loving them. To lose them is literally “a fate worse than death.”
As David said after Absalom died, “I wish it had been me instead of him!” (see 2 Samuel 18:33). So, how did Job fare under this test that Satan said he would collapse under? Job’s reaction: “I came naked from my mother’s womb. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”
No wonder God bragged on Job. What faith! What does Job do? He worships! He did not say “I understand it,” but simply “Lord, I trust you!”
Character Is Not Made in Crisis; It Is Revealed.
When people say, “I lost my faith because of such-and-such,” that shows they did not have real faith. You want to lose “that kind” of faith and replace it with biblical faith. The faith that cannot be tested is the faith that cannot be trusted.
Yes, Job fell to the ground in deep grief and prayed! I did the same thing when I heard the unimaginable news our son had died. I had nowhere else to go and there was nowhere else I wanted to go. I just needed God.
Jesus said much the same thing: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” It’s like when some of the fair-weather followers of Jesus walked away. Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Will you also walk away?” They responded, “Where else would we go? You alone have the words of eternal life” (see John 6:67–68).
People ask me what to do when they hear tragic news. I tell them it’s not a “what” it’s a “who.” Turn to Jesus. You don’t need a manual; you need Immanuel.
Sometimes people say, “When I get to heaven, I have a few questions I want to ask God!” After you have looked in His all-knowing eyes, and you “know as you are known,” I think your questions will give way to praise and worship.
Personal Application
You might say, “I could never react like Job did if this happened to me!” Yes you could. God would be there for you, as He was there for Job, in your hour of need. He who stirred up the storm is the hiding place in it. He who created, or at least allowed, the storm has been in it Himself. Whatever comes into your life has either been created or allowed by God.
When tragedy hits, one of the first things we wonder is, “Can I survive this?” I myself wondered this very thing after our son went to heaven. How do you survive something like this? By turning to Jesus.
Who is a greater expert on suffering than Jesus? He bore all the sorrows of the world. When you are crushed by your sorrows, and no person can understand, Jesus can! “Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He Himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested” (Hebrews 2:17–18).
The Bible says, “He is well-acquainted with suffering” Thus He is able to help in time of need. Let me ask you in closing, have you had a recent tragedy? Have you suffered? Sometimes God allows this to “get our attention” to turn to Him. The psalmist wrote, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Psalm 119:67 NKJV).
Jesus can walk with you through your pain. He bore it on the cross 2000 years ago.
There is more I will say in Part 2 about the “whys” of suffering, but know this: God is still in control of your life. He has a purpose and you are not alone. Turn to Him!
