Spiritual guidance powered by AI and grounded in Scripture
Your Question:
Why does God let us suffer when we're innocent?
Answer:
As a pastor, I've had many conversations with people who struggle with the question of why God allows innocent people to suffer. It's a question that has puzzled philosophers and theologians for centuries. The Bible teaches us that God is a loving God who weeps with us in our suffering (John 11:35). However, He also allows us to experience suffering, even when we're innocent, for His own purposes. One reason God allows us to suffer is that it ultimately results in greater glory for Himself. Through our suffering, He demonstrates His power, wrath, and justice, which is necessary for His character to be fully revealed. Additionally, God may allow us to suffer so that we can learn to trust in Him and rely on His goodness, even in the midst of pain and difficulty. This is what Job did, when he said, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). As Christians, we must remember that we live in a fallen world, where sin has brought suffering and pain. Sometimes, suffering is a result of living in this world, and sometimes it's a result of our own sinful choices. However, even when we're innocent, God uses our suffering to complete our sanctification, to make us more like Christ. He uses it to teach us to trust in Him, to rely on His goodness, and to see His glory revealed in the midst of pain and difficulty.
Sources:
on guard
william lane craig
christian theology
millard erickson
systematic theology
wayne grudem
warranted christian belief
alvin plantinga
building dynamic faith
jerry falwell
reformed doctrine salvation
loraine boettner
depression
edward welch
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