Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Why does God allow suffering? By Steve Keeler

Scripture Job 1:8-22; "The Lord said to Satan, 'Have

you considered My servant Job? For there is no one

like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man,

fearing God and turning away from evil.' Then Satan

answered the Lord, 'Does Job fear God for nothing?

Have You not made a hedge about him and his house

and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed

the work of his hands, and his possessions have

increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and

touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your

face.' Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he

has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on

him.' So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were

eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

a messenger came to Job and said, 'The oxen were

plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the

Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew 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 and made a

raid on the camels and took them and slew 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 your

daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest

brother's house, and behold, 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

died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.'

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head,

and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said,

'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I

shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has

taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.'

Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God."

John 9:1-3; "As He passed by, He saw a man blind

from birth. And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi, who

sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born

blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was neither that this man

sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of

God might be displayed in him.'"

The most violent earthquake to strike Haiti in 100

years, struck about 5:00 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Concrete buildings crumbled as though made of straw.

Haiti was in total chaos and people ran screaming in all

direction fearing for their lives. And rightly so, the death

toll is expected to be almost a quarter of a million

people. Two million are left homeless!

People both young and old, good and bad, saved and

lost, this disaster doesn't play favorites. It doesn't take

the time to check to see if someone is a Christian or

not, the devastation touches everyone.

Tragedy can strike our lives so quickly and without

warning irregardless of who you are.

It is often after a tragedy that we are either suffering or

we aware of others suffering that we ask the age old

question, the question asked by almost every Christian,

and by most atheist as well I guess, at one point or

another: How can an all powerful, loving God allow

such suffering to occur?

Surveys say this is the number one question people

would like to ask God. It's the number one reason

atheist and agnostics use to reject the existence of an

all powerful, loving God.

I know I've asked that question and I believe it's a

question that deserves an answer.

The Disciples asked Jesus the 'why' question

Back then, most people believed that suffering was the

result of sin. While the disciples were walking with

Jesus one day, they came across a man who had been

blind all his life. This was a great opportunity for the

'Why' question.

The disciples took advantage of the situation, in John

9:2-4 we read; "And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi,

who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be

born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was neither that this

man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the

works of God might be displayed in him.'"

Jesus does not give His disciples a simple answer to