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Your Question:
Why does God let people suffer?
Answer:
The question of why God lets people suffer is a complex and deeply personal one. As a pastor, I've had to grapple with this question many times, and I've come to realize that it's not a simple issue of God causing suffering, but rather His gracious and loving nature allowing it to happen for our good. Scripture teaches us that God uses our suffering to refine us, to make us more like Him, and to bring us closer to Him. But why would God permit suffering in the first place? I believe it's because He has a greater purpose in mind, one that involves the complexities of human freedom and the ripple effects of our choices throughout history. Only an all-knowing God could grasp the intricacies of directing a world of free people toward His envisioned goals. Perhaps God sees that the best world He can create involves some measure of suffering, not as a means of punishment, but as a means of growth and transformation. As I reflect on my own life and the lives of those around me, I'm reminded that suffering can be a catalyst for spiritual growth and intimacy with God. It's a chance for us to experience His presence and provision in new and deeper ways. And as I look to Scripture, I see that God's people have always faced suffering, but they've also always found comfort and strength in Him. So, I believe that God lets people suffer because He wants to use it to bring us closer to Himself, to refine us, and to make us more like His Son, Jesus Christ.
Sources:
raising passionate jesus followers
phil diane comer
depression
edward welch
on guard
william lane craig
warranted christian belief
alvin plantinga
job
francis andersen
concise history christian thought
tony lane
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