If God is Good, Why Does He Allow Suffering?

   There is a whole heap-a suffering in this world, and most everyone feels suffering for a variety of reasons. Disastrous storms, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, sickness, terrorism, floods, snowstorms, loss of jobs and the list goes on.  Some folks suffer because of poor choices they make, indulging in sin and addicting behaviors.  Proverbs 13:15 tells us, “Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.” (ESV).  

   But what about the victims and the innocent who suffer? Why does God allow that? There seems to be a correlation between bad behavior and bad circumstances and good behavior and blessings. The desire to link unrepentant sin as being the cause of all suffering is strong but is not the reason in every case.  Jesus dealt with this issue at least twice.  John 9:1-3 says, “As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus.” 

   The disciples assumed that the innocent would never suffer and pointed their fingers at personal guilt or his parents’ guilt as being the problem. Jesus corrected their thinking, saying, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (verse 3). The man’s blindness was not because of personal si ...